Glipizide IR, Glipizide ER, Glipizide XL

Introduction

Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Amber R. Watson, PharmD
Updated on April 28, 2023

Glipizide is a generic medication that’s prescribed for type 2 diabetes. It’s available as the brand-name drug Glucotrol XL. The cost of glipizide with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Glipizide comes in these forms:

• immediate-release oral tablet
• extended-release oral tablet

Read on to learn about glipizide and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about glipizide, including its uses, refer to this overview article.

Cost of glipizide

Like other medications, the cost of glipizide 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 glipizide 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 glipizide” section.

Coupons for glipizide

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of glipizide. 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.

Common questions about glipizide and cost

Here are some common questions about glipizide and their answers. 

Does glipizide 5 mg cost less than glipizide ER 10 mg?

Yes, the cost of glipizide immediate-release (IR) 5 milligram (mg) oral tablet may be less than the extended-release (ER) 10 mg oral tablet. (IR means the medication releases its active drug into your body right away. ER means the medication slowly releases its active drug into your body over time.)

Glipizide comes in the following strengths:

• IR oral tablet: 5 mg and 10 mg
• ER oral tablet: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about the ER tablet versus the IR tablet. Your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider can give you more information about the cost of glipizide.

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.

Insurance and other considerations for glipizide

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 glipizide. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for glipizide. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking/using it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re taking glipizide 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

Glipizide is a generic medication. It’s available as the brand-name drug Glucotrol XL.

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

If your doctor has prescribed glipizide, but you’re interested in taking Glucotrol XL, let them know. They may prefer one medication over the other. Also, check whether your insurance plan covers only one version of the drug.

To learn how the cost of glipizide compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company. 

What to ask about glipizide

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

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:

• How does the cost of glipizide compare with other diabetes medications?
• What is the cost difference of taking Glucotrol XL once daily and glipizide tablets?
• Does it cost more to take 2 extended-release tablets of 5 mg or 1 extended-release tablet of 10 mg?

Resources

• Glipizide extended-release tablets, for oral use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/1f30c0b5-3c67-445a-ab1a-1ce93562fcbc/spl-doc
• Glipizide – glipizide tablet. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/4995328f-287c-4d4a-9b5f-9d354cc530fb/spl-doc
• Glucotrol XL (glipizide) extended-release tablets, for oral use. (2021). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/020329Orig1s035lbl.pdf
• 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.