Kcentra

Introduction

Written by Kirstyn Hill, PharmD, MPH
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on February 15, 2024

Kcentra is a brand-name medication that’s prescribed to reverse bleeding due to blood thinner treatment. Kcentra isn’t available in a generic version. The cost of Kcentra, with or without insurance, can depend on several factors.

Read on to learn about Kcentra and cost. If you’d like more information about Kcentra, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. 

Need a diagnosis or prescription quickly? For certain health conditions, Optum Perks offers personalized on-demand care with no appointment required. For $25, answer a few questions online and receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from a board certified healthcare professional in 15 minutes or less. Get started here.

Cost of Kcentra

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the cost to stay in the hospital and have a healthcare professional give doses of Kcentra
• whether Kcentra is covered under your medical or prescription insurance

To find out how much Kcentra costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.

Coupons for medications

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, you might not be able to use coupons for medications like Kcentra, as these 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 Kcentra

Here’s a consideration about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of Kcentra may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of Kcentra. 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.

If you have questions about the above, ask your doctor. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.

If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor know. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Brand names vs. biosimilars

Kcentra is a brand-name medication. It’s not available in a biosimilar version.

How biosimilars and generics compare

A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). 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.)

Biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name medications. Like generics, biosimilars are thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

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

Common questions about Kcentra and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about Kcentra.  

Is Kcentra covered by Medicare?

Kcentra may be covered by Medicare. Kcentra is given by a healthcare professional in a hospital setting. For this reason, Kcentra may be covered under your medical plan instead of your drug plan. To learn more, see the “Insurance and other considerations for Kcentra” section.

If you have questions about Kcentra and Medicare, you can ask your doctor or your plan administrator.

Why are costs different for biologic drugs vs. biosimilar drugs?

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

Makers of a biologic drug can patent and sell their drug for up to 12 years. When the patent for a brand-name biologic drug expires, other drugmakers can make and sell biosimilar versions. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug).

This competition may help keep the costs of biosimilar medications lower. Also, biosimilar medications are very similar to biologic drugs. So, they don’t require the same testing, which may 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 Kcentra

This article provides cost information related to Kcentra. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupon information. However, you might not be able to use coupons for medications like Kcentra, as these are only given by a healthcare professional.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor. 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 options do I have if I can’t afford Kcentra?
• Will the dosage of Kcentra prescribed to me affect the cost?
• Are there other lower cost medications available to treat my condition?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Purple Book: Database of licensed biological products. https://purplebooksearch.fda.gov
• Kcentra (prothrombin complex concentrate (human)); for intravenous use, lyophilized powder for reconstitution. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/eee1afb8-324c-42e4-8bf0-f0c9da5e6d42/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.