Piperacillin Tazobactam
Piperacillin/tazobactam (pi PER a sil in and ta zoe BAK tam) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain bacterial infections in adults and some children. The brand-name version of this drug is Zosyn. The cost of piperacillin/tazobactam with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
Piperacillin/tazobactam (pi PER a sil in and ta zoe BAK tam) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain bacterial infections in adults and some children. The brand-name version of this drug is Zosyn. The cost of piperacillin/tazobactam with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
- Generic
- • Solution Reconstituted
- • 10 of 4-0.5GM
- • 1 Vial
Dosage settings
Set your dosage
Make sure your dosage values are correct! In order for Optum Perks to provide the most accurate discount pricing for your prescription, take a moment to verify your dosage above.
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Jen Seabright, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on February 1, 2024
Piperacillin/tazobactam (pi PER a sil in and ta zoe BAK tam) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for certain bacterial infections in adults and some children. The brand-name version of this drug is Zosyn. The cost of piperacillin/tazobactam with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved piperacillin/tazobactam for the following types of infections:
- abdominal infections, such as appendicitis, in children ages 2 months and older and adults
- hospital-acquired pneumonia in children ages 2 months and older and adults
- skin infections, including cellulitis, in adults
- certain female* pelvic infections in adults
- community-acquired pneumonia in adults
Read on to learn about piperacillin/tazobactam and cost. If you’d like more information about piperacillin/tazobactam, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
Cost
Cost of piperacillin/tazobactam
Like other medications, the cost of piperacillin/tazobactam can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:
- your insurance plan, if you have coverage
- whether piperacillin/tazobactam is covered under your medical insurance or your prescription benefit
- the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of piperacillin/tazobactam
To find out how much piperacillin/tazobactam costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.
Coupons
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, coupons aren’t available for medications, such as piperacillin/tazobactam, that are only given by a healthcare professional.
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
Insurance and other considerations for piperacillin/tazobactam
Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:
- Prior authorization: If you have medical or prescription drug insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of piperacillin/tazobactam. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for piperacillin/tazobactam. 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 piperacillin/tazobactam may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of piperacillin/tazobactam. 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.
- 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
Generics vs. brand-names
Piperacillin/tazobactam is a generic medication. The brand-name version of this drug is Zosyn.
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.) Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.
Prior to your dose, ask your doctor whether generic piperacillin/tazobactam or Zosyn will be prescribed for you. The hospital or health system may have a financial representative who can discuss possible costs with you.
FAQ
Common questions about piperacillin/tazobactam and cost
Here are some common questions and answers about piperacillin/tazobactam.
Is piperacillin/tazobactam covered by Medicare?
It may be covered by Medicare. Doses of piperacillin/tazobactam are given by a healthcare professional in a hospital setting. For this reason, piperacillin/tazobactam may be covered under your medical plan instead of your drug plan.
If you have questions about this, you can ask your doctor or your plan administrator. You can also check with your particular plan to see if it covers piperacillin/tazobactam.
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 patent and 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 ingredient in a brand-name medication. An active ingredient is what makes medication work.
This competition may help keep the costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active ingredients 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
What to ask about piperacillin/tazobactam
This article provides cost information related to piperacillin/tazobactam. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescriptions. Above on this page, you’ll find coupon information. However, coupons aren’t available for medications, such as piperacillin/tazobactam, that are only given by a healthcare professional.
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:
- Will my length of treatment with piperacillin/tazobactam affect my cost?
- Are there any lower cost medications available to treat my condition?
- What options do I have if I can’t afford my medication?
Resources
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
- Piperacillin and tazobactam for injection, for intravenous use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/80f4bdb8-131e-4485-b7a2-accd596d4cde/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.
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