Methadose Sugar-free

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Beth Thomas, PharmD, RPh
Updated on November 15, 2023

Methadone is a generic medication prescribed for conditions such as opioid use disorder. The drug’s brand-name version is Methadose. The cost of methadone with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Methadone comes in these forms:

• oral forms:
  • liquid solution
  • concentrated liquid solution
  • tablet
  • tablet for oral suspension (a type of liquid mixture)
• injection that a healthcare professional will inject into your muscle, under your skin, or into your vein

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved methadone to treat:

• opioid use disorder
• severe pain that doesn’t respond to other treatments

Read on to learn about methadone and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about methadone, including its uses, refer to this overview article.

Cost of methadone

Like other medications, the cost of methadone 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 methadone

To find out how much methadone 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 following section.

Coupons for methadone

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

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 methadone. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for methadone. 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 methadone may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because methadone doses may be given 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.

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

Methadone 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 medication work. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re believed to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

If your doctor has prescribed methadone, but you’re interested in Methadose, 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 methadone compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company.

Common questions about methadone and cost

Here are some common questions about methadone and their answers.

How much does methadone cost without insurance?

It depends. The cost of most drugs, including methadone, is typically higher without insurance coverage. But all forms of methadone are available as generic drugs. Generic drugs tend to cost less than brand-name medications.

If you don’t have insurance, you may be able to find online coupons to help with the cost of methadone. See the “Coupons for methadone” section to learn more.

You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

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 without anyone else making their drug. 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 medication work.

This competition may help keep the costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active drugs as brand-name medications, which have already been tested. So generic medications don’t require the same kind of costly testing as brand-name medications.

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

What to ask about methadone

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

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:

• Is the cost of methadone different between the available forms?
• Will my dosage of methadone affect the cost?
• What are my options if I can’t afford my medications?

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
• Methadone hydrochloride injection. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/cedfe8fa-b57d-4cb1-a047-0af5a8ef199e/spl-doc
• Methadone hydrochloride tablets, for oral use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/1a536622-dda3-41af-ab08-28e7c1bc9300/spl-doc
• Methadose (methadone hydrochloride), dispersible tablets, for oral suspension. (2017). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/544483e6-6f9d-4371-9e93-313e54e0ea05/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.