Ivabradine

Introduction

Written by Julz Richterman, PharmD, MBA, BCGP
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS, MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on July 8, 2024

Corlanor is a brand-name medication that’s prescribed for certain types of heart failure in adults and some children. It’s available in a generic version called ivabradine. The cost of Corlanor 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 Corlanor to:

• lower the risk of hospitalization due to worsening of certain types of chronic heart failure in adults
• treat certain types of heart failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy in children ages 6 months and older

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

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Cost of Corlanor

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the quantity prescribed
• the drug form you’re prescribed (oral tablet or oral solution)

To find out how much Corlanor 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 Corlanor” section.

Coupons for Corlanor

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

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 Corlanor. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for Corlanor. 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 Corlanor 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.
• 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 your prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. HSA and FSA plans help people save money by using pretax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as prescription and OTC 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.

Brand names vs. generics

Corlanor is a brand-name medication. It’s available in a generic version called ivabradine tablets.

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.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about generic and brand-name medications.

Why is Corlanor so expensive?

Corlanor is a brand-name medication. 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.

The active ingredients in generic medications are identical to those in brand-name medications. So they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly. As a result, generic medications typically cost significantly less than brand-name drugs when they can be produced.

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

Common questions about Corlanor and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about Corlanor.

How much does Corlanor cost with and without insurance?

The cost of Corlanor depends on the specific insurance plan you have and the pharmacy you use. Corlanor is only available as a brand-name drug. So the cost of Corlanor without insurance is usually more expensive than generic drugs. Also, you may have a higher copay for brand-name drugs like Corlanor with insurance compared with copays for generic drugs.

Prescription drug coupons could help lower your cost of Corlanor. See the “Coupons for Corlanor” section to learn more.

Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider to learn more about your options to lower your cost of Corlanor.

How does the cost of Corlanor compare with the cost of other alternative drugs for heart failure?

The cost of Corlanor is usually higher than other drugs that treat heart failure. But your cost might be different depending on the drug you take, the dosage prescribed, the insurance you have, and the pharmacy you use.

There are many different drugs and groups of drugs that are used to treat heart failure. These include:

• beta-blockers
• diuretics (water pills)
• angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

Usually, the medications in these groups of drugs are available in generic versions. This lowers their cost.

Keep in mind, Corlanor works differently than other drugs for heart failure. So your doctor may recommend this drug over another one. Also, your doctor may prescribe you several drugs that work differently to manage your heart failure.

Talk with your doctor to learn which medications are best for you. Talk with your pharmacist or insurance provider to learn how much they’ll cost.

Resources

• Corlanor (ivabradine) tablets, for oral use; Corlanor (ivabradine) oral solution. (2021). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/206143s008,209964s002lblrpl.pdf
• 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.