Sensorcaine, Bupivacaine, Sensorcaine-mpf, Bupivacaine (pf)

Introduction

Written by Julz Richterman, PharmD, MBA, BCGP
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on January 29, 2024

Bupivacaine (byoo PIV a kane) is a generic medication that’s prescribed as a local anesthetic to numb a particular part of your body. The brand-name versions of this drug are Marcaine, Sensorcaine, and others. The cost of bupivacaine with or without insurance can depend on several factors.

Read on to learn about bupivacaine and cost. If you’d like more information about bupivacaine, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Cost of bupivacaine

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• whether bupivacaine is covered under your medical insurance or your prescription benefit
• the cost of having a healthcare professional give doses of bupivacaine

To find out how much bupivacaine costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.

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 bupivacaine, 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 for bupivacaine

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 bupivacaine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for bupivacaine. 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 bupivacaine may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of bupivacaine. 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

Bupivacaine is a generic medication. The different forms of bupivacaine and those that are available as generic and/or brand-name versions are shown in the following table:

Your healthcare professional will choose the form of bupivacaine that’s right for your procedure.

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 versions.

Prior to your procedure, ask your doctor whether generic bupivacaine or a brand-name version will be prescribed for you. The hospital or health system may have a financial representative who can discuss possible costs with you.

Common questions about bupivacaine and cost

Here are some common questions about bupivacaine and their answers.

How does the cost of bupivacaine compare with the cost of lidocaine?

Bupivacaine and lidocaine tend to have similar costs. But how much you pay depends on the form you use and the insurance coverage you have. Your cost may also vary based on the pharmacy you use or the healthcare facility where you receive it.

If you’d like to know more about the costs of bupivacaine and lidocaine, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance company.

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 a medication work.)

This competition may help keep 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 about bupivacaine

This article provides cost information related to bupivacaine. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupon information. However, coupons aren’t available for medications, such as bupivacaine, 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:

• Is the cost of bupivacaine included in the cost of my procedure?
• Will my dosage of bupivacaine affect the cost?
• Are there other lower cost drugs that could treat my condition?

Resources

• Bupivacaine hydrochloride injection. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/3c0f567f-b7f8-4ee8-bfb2-61cd82550498/spl-doc
• Bupivacaine spinal (bupivacaine hydrochloride in dextrose injection) for subarachnoid injection. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/7a8d2539-4422-4312-0298-207ef1a2948e/spl-doc
• Exparel (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension), for infiltration or perineural use. (2023). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/022496s051lbl.pdf
• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Xaracoll (bupivacaine hydrochloride) implant. (2020). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/209511s000lbl.pdf

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.