Lutrate, Eligard (3 Month), Vabrinty

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Bryson Russell, PharmD, MHSA, MSc
Updated on February 20, 2024

Leuprolide (loo PROE lide) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for advanced prostate cancer. Leuprolide is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of leuprolide with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

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

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Cost of leuprolide

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the cost to purchase needles and syringes to use with leuprolide
• the quantity prescribed

To find out how much leuprolide 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 leuprolide” section.

Coupons for leuprolide

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

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with 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 leuprolide

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 leuprolide. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for leuprolide. 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.
• A 3-month supply: If you’re using leuprolide 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.

Generics vs. brand names

Leuprolide is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version. But it may be available in branded-generic versions called Camcevi, Eligard, and Lupron Depot. (Usually, generic drugs are referred to by the name of their active ingredient(s). But branded-generic drugs are given a trade name by the drugmaker.)

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.) Leuprolide is based on the brand-name version Lupron, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

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

Common questions about leuprolide and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about leuprolide.  

Is leuprolide covered by Medicare?

Yes, Medicare prescription drug plans usually cover leuprolide. Prescription drug coverage is available through Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage (Part C). Each plan has its own formulary (list of covered drugs). The plan’s formulary must include at least two drugs from common categories. 

If plans cover a drug, they rank it in a tier system. In general, the higher the tier, the higher your copay will be. 

Contact your Medicare Part D or Part C provider to determine whether leuprolide is covered under your plan. If it is, you can ask how much your copay will be.

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, which have already been tested. 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 leuprolide

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

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:

• Are there lower cost drugs that could treat my condition?
• How does the cost of leuprolide compare to longer-acting forms of the drug?
• What are my options if I can’t afford my medication?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm   
• Leuprolide acetate injection. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/0cf31b40-816b-d055-e063-6294a90af5d0/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.