Hemabate

Introduction

Written by Ashley Wong, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Victor Nguyen, PharmD, MBA
Updated on February 21, 2024

Carboprost (KAR boe prost) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to stop bleeding after childbirth. It’s also prescribed for medical abortion in certain situations. The brand-name version of this drug is Hemabate. The cost of carboprost with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

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

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Cost of carboprost

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of carboprost
• the quantity/amount prescribed

To find out how much carboprost 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.

Coupons for carboprost

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

However, coupons aren’t available for medications, such as carboprost, that are only given by a healthcare professional.

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 carboprost

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 carboprost. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for carboprost. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin using it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of carboprost may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of carboprost. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.
• Savings accounts: If you’re eligible for a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), you can likely use funds from these accounts to pay for copays. These include copays for visits to the doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital to receive doses of carboprost. HSA and FSA plans allow people to save money by using pretax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as copays, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs. To learn more about whether you’re eligible for these savings accounts and how to use them, talk with your insurance provider or employer.

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

Carboprost is a generic medication. The brand-name version of this drug is Hemabate.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what 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 carboprost but you’re interested in taking Hemabate, let them know. They may have a reason to prescribe one medication over the other. Also, check whether your insurance plan covers only one version of the drug.

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

Common questions about carboprost and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about carboprost.  

Is carboprost covered by Medicare?

It may be. Carboprost is an injection given by a doctor or another healthcare professional. Because of this, the cost of carboprost may be billed through Medicare Part A or Part B, depending on whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. However, Medicare doesn’t cover everything.

Talk with your Medicare insurance provider to determine whether carboprost is covered by your plan.

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 patent and 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 ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active ingredients 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 carboprost

This article provides cost information related to carboprost. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription.

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:

• What are my options if I can’t afford carboprost?
• Are there lower cost drugs used to treat my condition?
• Will my dosage of carboprost affect the cost?

Resources

• Carboprost tromethamine- carboprost tromethamine solution. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/8a1284cf-002f-4887-a3c0-d73d04b2b869/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). 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.