Thioridazine

Introduction

Written by Ashley Wong, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Scheffel, PharmD
Updated on January 23, 2024

Thioridazine (thye oh RID a zeen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for schizophrenia. Thioridazine is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of thioridazine with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

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

Cost of thioridazine

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

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

To find out how much thioridazine 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 thioridazine” section.

Coupons for thioridazine

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

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 thioridazine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for thioridazine. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
• A 3-month supply: If you’re taking thioridazine 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.
• 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

Thioridazine is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

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.) Thioridazine is based on the brand-name version Mellaril, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

Common questions about thioridazine and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about thioridazine.

How does the cost of thioridazine compare with the cost of Abilify?

The cost of a prescription drug, such as thioridazine or Abilify, depends on many factors. This includes whether the drug is a generic or brand-name medication and your insurance coverage. Each insurance plan varies in the drugs they cover and the copay they charge for medications.

In general, generic drugs cost less than brand-name drugs. Thioridazine is a generic drug, while Abilify is a brand-name drug. Therefore, it’s likely that Abilify will cost more than thioridazine. However, Abilify is available in a generic version called aripiprazole.

If you have more questions about this, talk with your doctor, insurance provider, or pharmacist. You may also ask how the cost of thioridazine compares with the cost of aripiprazole.

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 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 thioridazine

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

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 thioridazine covered by my insurance?
• Will I have a copay for thioridazine?
• What are my options if I can’t afford thioridazine?

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
• Thioridazine hydrochloride tablet, film coated. (2021). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/52fea941-0b47-41c1-b00d-f88150e8ab93/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.