Liothyronine

Introduction

Written by Rachel Maynard, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Victor Nguyen, PharmD, MBA
Updated on December 11, 2023

Liothyronine (lye oh THYE roe neen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain thyroid conditions. The brand-name version of this drug is Cytomel. The cost of liothyronine 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 liothyronine to:

• replace thyroid hormones in people with low thyroid hormone levels
• treat thyroid cancer with other treatments
• help diagnose certain thyroid conditions
• stabilize severely low thyroid levels in an emergency

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

Cost of liothyronine

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of liothyronine

To find out how much liothyronine 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 liothyronine” section.

Coupons for liothyronine

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

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 liothyronine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for liothyronine. 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.
• Insurance coverage. Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of liothyronine may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because sometimes liothyronine is given as an injection by a doctor or another healthcare professional. 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.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re taking liothyronine 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

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

Common questions about liothyronine and cost

Here are some common questions about liothyronine and their answers.

How does the cost of liothyronine compare with the cost of levothyroxine?

It depends. Levothyroxine is another medication that may be used to treat certain thyroid conditions. Several forms of levothyroxine also come in a generic version.

The cost of liothyronine or levothyroxine can vary based on several factors. They include:

• the form you’re prescribed
• whether you’re prescribed a brand-name or generic version
• the dose you’re prescribed
• the days’ supply (30-day or 90-day)
• your insurance coverage or whether you pay out of pocket
• the pharmacy you use

To view prices of levothyroxine when Optum Perks coupons are applied, view this page.

Talk with your insurance provider, pharmacist, or doctor if you have questions about the costs of your medication. You may be able to save money by switching products or forms.

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 or pharmacist.

What to ask about liothyronine

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

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:

• Can I take a generic version instead of a brand-name version of this medication?
• Are there other lower cost drugs that could treat my condition?
• Is it safe to skip doses of my medication to save money?
• Can I use over-the-counter products for my condition instead of a prescription to lower my costs?
• What options are available if I can’t 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
• Liothyronine sodium – liothyronine sodium injection, solution. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/a8b39730-de19-497d-bde8-6594aa528403/spl-doc
• Liothyronine sodium – liothyronine sodium tablet. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/892e63ef-3a60-45fa-b12b-d6795acc0956/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.