Flavoxate

Introduction

Written by Dedra Weiss, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on December 13, 2023

Flavoxate (fla VOKS ate) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain bladder and urinary tract symptoms. Flavoxate isn’t available in a brand-name version. The cost of flavoxate with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved flavoxate to relieve overactive bladder symptoms, which include urinary frequency and urgency, leaking urine, painful or difficult urination, and excessive nighttime urination. These symptoms may occur with conditions such as bladder infection, prostate inflammation, and urethra irritation.

Read on to learn about flavoxate and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about flavoxate, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Cost of flavoxate

Like other medications, the cost of flavoxate can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use

To find out how much flavoxate costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may be able to suggest ways to save money on your prescription, including those described in this article. To find out what you’d pay using savings coupons, read the “Coupons for flavoxate” section.

Coupons for flavoxate

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of flavoxate. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Available app for coupons

To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.

Insurance and other considerations for flavoxate

Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Prior authorization. If you have prescription drug insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of flavoxate. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for flavoxate. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re taking flavoxate long term, your doctor may suggest a 90-day supply of the medication. This will have to be approved by your insurance company. Getting a 90-day supply could help lower the drug’s cost. It could also save you time having to make trips to your pharmacy.

If you have questions about any of these considerations, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.

If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor or pharmacist know. They may suggest online pharmacy options you could use. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Generics vs. brand-names

Flavoxate is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Flavoxate is based on the brand-name version Urispas, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

Common questions about flavoxate and cost

Here are some common questions about flavoxate and their answers.  

Is flavoxate covered by Medicare?

Whether Medicare covers flavoxate depends on your plan. In some cases, prior authorization is required before a medication is covered.

If covered, the price you’ll pay may be affected by the type of Medicare plan you have. Also, your dosage and the medication supply needed may affect your cost of the drug. Talk with your Medicare provider or pharmacist to find out whether flavoxate is covered and the exact price you’ll pay.

Why are costs different for brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?

Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.

Makers of a brand-name drug can sell their drug for up to 20 years. When the patent for a brand-name drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active drugs as brand-name medications. So, they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly.

If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

What to ask about flavoxate

This article provides cost information related to flavoxate. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for flavoxate.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also contact your insurance company.

Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask regarding the cost of your medication:

• Are there other lower cost drugs that can be used to treat my condition?
• Does my dosage of flavoxate affect the cost?
• Is there a cost difference between the price of flavoxate with or without insurance?

Resources

• Flavoxate hydrochloride tablet. (2018). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/b4260d7e-2ab3-49f6-aa57-bae19a23d82a/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm   

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.