Sernivo

Introduction

Written by Patricia Weiser, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on February 1, 2024

Betamethasone (bay ta METH a sone) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to relieve itching and/or inflammation (swelling) due to various conditions that can be treated with corticosteroids. A brand-name version of this drug is Diprolene. The cost of betamethasone with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Betamethasone is available in different forms including topical cream, topical foam, topical gel, topical lotion, topical ointment, and topical spray. It also comes as a suspension for injection.

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

Cost of betamethasone

Like other medications, the cost of betamethasone 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 betamethasone (injection)

To find out how much betamethasone 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 betamethasone” section.

Coupons for betamethasone

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of betamethasone. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any 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 betamethasone

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 betamethasone. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for betamethasone. The insurance company will decide whether to approve coverage of the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin using it without this approval, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of betamethasone injection may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of betamethasone injection. 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

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

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.

If your doctor has prescribed betamethasone but you’re interested in a brand-name version, let them know. They may have a reason to prescribe one medication over the other. Also, check which forms of the drug your insurance plan covers, as it may not cover all forms.

To learn how the cost of betamethasone compares with its brand-name versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company.

Common questions about betamethasone and cost

Here are some common questions about betamethasone and their answers.

Does betamethasone topical ointment cost less than the topical cream form of the drug?

Possibly. Betamethasone is available in several topical forms, which are medications that you apply directly to the skin. These include topical cream, topical foam, topical gel, topical lotion, topical ointment, and topical spray. The form prescribed can affect the cost of the drug.

However, other factors determine the amount you’ll pay, such as your insurance plan.

You can find out how much your prescription is likely to cost by contacting your insurance provider. Or you can check with someone at your pharmacy.

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 betamethasone

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

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 would my cost for betamethasone compare to the cost of over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone?
• Would it be less expensive to get a smaller tube of betamethasone ointment?
• To help plan my future budget, how long will I need to use betamethasone?

Resources

• Betamethasone dipropionate cream, USP 0.05%. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/8dcbc511-8305-4ccc-8918-bf23b0359fda/spl-doc
• Betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate injectable suspension, USP, 6 mg/mL. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/c0a09d83-2405-450b-9f35-803d12823213/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm

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.