Naloxone

Introduction

Written by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on October 16, 2023

Naloxone is a generic medication that’s prescribed for opioid overdose. The brand-name versions of this drug can include Kloxxado, Rextovy, and Zimhi. The cost of naloxone with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Naloxone comes in these forms: A nasal spray and as an injection that can be injected into a vein, a muscle, or in your skin.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved naloxone for reversing opioid overdose in adults and children of any age. The naloxone injection can also be used, together with other medications, by healthcare providers in a hospital to increase blood pressure when someone has septic shock.

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

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Cost of naloxone

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• the form you are prescribed

To find out how much naloxone 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 naloxone” section.

Coupons for naloxone

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

Cost considerations for naloxone

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 naloxone. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for naloxone. 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.
• Insurance coverage. Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of naloxone that is given to you in a hospital may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because naloxone doses given in a hospital are 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

Naloxone is a generic medication. Its brand-name versions are shown in the following table:

* There are two separate injections available. Naloxone, which is not available as a brand-name product, and Zimhi, which is not available as a generic. Strengths are listed as milligrams (mg) per milliliter (mL).

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 believed to be as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

If your doctor has prescribed naloxone but you’re interested in using Zimhi, Rextovy, or Kloxxado, 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 naloxone compares with its brand-name versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company. 

Common questions about naloxone and cost

Here are some common questions about naloxone and their answers.  

Is naloxone covered by Medicare?

It depends. Whether naloxone is covered by Medicare and your cost for naloxone will depend on your specific Medicare plan.

If you have questions about whether naloxone is covered by your Medicare plan or how much it will cost, contact your plan administrator. They will be able to tell you about your coverage and the cost of getting naloxone.

Can I get naloxone over the counter? If so, does it cost less to buy the drug this way?

Yes, naloxone is available over the counter (OTC) as a nasal spray. This drug is available as generic naloxone, as well as brand-name drugs for naloxone include Narcan and Rivive. Narcan was previously available as a prescription brand-name medication but is now only available OTC.

You can talk with a pharmacist about how much it costs to get naloxone OTC. This would not be billed through your insurance, instead it would have a cash price. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get OTC naloxone for free. Check with your local health department to learn more.

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 the 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.

What to ask about naloxone

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

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:

• How does the cost of prescription naloxone compare with over-the-counter naloxone?
• Are there coupons available to lower the cost of naloxone?
• What are my options if I cannot 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 
• Naloxone hydrochloride injection. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/958577c3-d2c4-26ad-e053-2a95a90ad73a/spl-doc
• Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/e7f81903-ee0d-4909-8e06-f58c9e56a6fc/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.