Retinoic Acid, Retin-a, Tretinoin, Atralin, Altreno, Retinoic Acid-all Trans

Introduction

Written by Dedra Weiss, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Updated on May 30, 2023

Tretinoin is a generic medication prescribed for acne and certain cancers. Brand-name versions of this drug are Altreno, Atralin, Avita, Renova, Retin-A, and Retin-A Micro. The cost of tretinoin with or without insurance can vary. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Tretinoin comes in these forms:

• cream and gel that are applied to the skin
• capsule that’s taken by mouth

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved tretinoin cream and gel to treat acne. Tretinoin capsule is approved to treat certain cancers.

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

Cost of tretinoin

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• your treatment plan
• the form of tretinoin you use

To find out how much tretinoin 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 tretinoin” section.

Coupons for tretinoin

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

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 tretinoin. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for tretinoin. 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 tretinoin 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.

Common questions about tretinoin and cost

Here are some common questions about tretinoin and their answers.  

Does tretinoin 0.025% topical cream cost less than tretinoin 0.1% topical cream?

Different strengths of tretinoin can vary in cost. Your cost for tretinoin depends on factors such as:

• your treatment plan
• the pharmacy you use
• your insurance coverage

Your pharmacist can provide you with the retail price of the drug’s differing forms and strengths. They can help determine what your cost will be with insurance coverage or coupons. Your insurance provider can also tell you the exact cost you’ll pay.

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 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.

Generics vs. brand-names

Tretinoin is a generic medication. The brand-name versions of this drug are listed in the chart below:

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 considered as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

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

What to ask about tretinoin

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

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 compare between tretinoin cream and gel?
• Will there soon be a less expensive generic version of the brand-name drug Altreno?
• Are coupons available for generic tretinoin and its brand-name versions? If so, what is the better cost-saving option?

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
• Isotretinoin capsule. (2020). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/spl/data/b44200ba-6672-4ea7-b151-7caec3f53c9c/b44200ba-6672-4ea7-b151-7caec3f53c9c.xml
• Retin-A (tretinoin). (2022). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2002/16921s21s22s25lbl.pdf
• Tretinoin capsule. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/264138c1-9e5f-45ef-be87-79ca97c989d9/spl-doc
• Tretinoin cream. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/8ca7d0c6-3b30-4133-8c10-dbc94cbdccf6/spl-doc
• Tretinoin gel. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/d19c8442-6e48-40bc-b604-432373a0870c/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.