Guanfacine

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Updated on November 9, 2023

Guanfacine is a generic medication prescribed for high blood pressure and ADHD. It comes as the brand-name drug Intuniv. The cost of guanfacine with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered with a coupon.

Guanfacine comes in these forms: immediate-release (IR)* oral tablet and extended-release (ER)* oral tablet.

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

* IR means the drug is released into your body right away. ER means the drug is slowly released into your body over a long period of time. Intuniv, the brand-name form of guanfacine, is available only as an ER oral tablet.

Cost of guanfacine

Like other medications, the cost of guanfacine 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 guanfacine 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 following section.

Coupons for guanfacine

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

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 guanfacine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for guanfacine. 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 guanfacine 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

Guanfacine is a generic medication. Its brand-name versions are shown in the following table:

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 guanfacine but you’re interested in taking Intuniv, 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 guanfacine compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company.

Common questions about guanfacine and cost

Here are some common questions about guanfacine and their answers.

Does guanfacine oral tablet cost less than guanfacine extended-release (ER) oral tablet?

Possibly. Guanfacine immediate-release (IR) oral tablet may cost less than the ER oral tablet. The dosage form can affect the price you’ll pay for a medication, but it’s determined by several factors.

Your cost for guanfacine also depends on your insurance coverage, if you have it. Insurance plans differ in how they cover prescription drugs. Other factors that can affect a drug’s cost may include the pharmacy you use and the strength your doctor prescribes.

To find out your exact cost for guanfacine, ask your pharmacist. If you have insurance coverage, you can also contact your insurance provider.

Note: Guanfacine IR oral tablet and guanfacine ER oral tablet are approved to treat different conditions. The IR oral tablet is approved to treat high blood pressure. The ER oral tablet is approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Talk with your doctor to learn more about the drug’s uses.

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 without anyone else making their drug. 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, which have already been tested. So generic medications don’t require the same kind of costly testing as brand-name medications.

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

What to ask about guanfacine

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

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:

• Will my dosage of guanfacine affect the cost?
• Are lower-cost drugs available to treat my condition?
• What are my options if I cannot afford my medication?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Guanfacine extended-release tablets, for oral use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/9ef9b329-9598-4ec9-b50d-da3f1e4ac0c3/spl-doc
• Guanfacine tablets. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/a0c2d95d-805c-4c7d-9733-52073a65218a/spl-doc

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.