Venofer, Iron Sucrose

Introduction

Written by Julz Richterman, PharmD, MBA, BCGP
Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Scheffel, PharmD
Updated on July 9, 2024

Venofer is a brand-name medication that’s prescribed for iron deficiency anemia in people with long-term kidney disease. Venofer is not available in a generic version. The cost of Venofer with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

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

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Cost of Venofer

Like other medications, the cost of Venofer 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 Venofer
• the cost to purchase supplies to use with Venofer
• the amount prescribed

To find out how much Venofer 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 Venofer” section.

Coupons for Venofer

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

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

Brand names vs. generics

Venofer is a brand-name medication. It’s not available in a generic 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.) 

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

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about generic and brand-name medications. 

Why costs are 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.

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.

Common questions about Venofer and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about Venofer.

What is the cost of Venofer compared to the cost of Injectafer?

Usually, Venofer is less expensive than Injectafer. But the cost of either one depends on your insurance provider, your dosage, and where you receive the drug.

Keep in mind that your doctor may have a reason to recommend one drug over the other. So, talk with your doctor to learn which one may be best for you and how much it will cost.

Is Venofer covered by Medicare?

Yes. Since Venofer has to be given by a healthcare professional, it’s usually covered under Medicare Part B plans. But Medicare may require prior authorization before covering the drug. In this case, your doctor will talk with your insurance provider about why Venofer is medically necessary for you.

If you’re hospitalized and need a Venofer drip, it’s usually covered under Medicare Part A. But what you owe may be different under Medicare Part B.

Talk with your insurance provider to learn what the cost of Venofer is to you.

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
• Venofer (iron sucrose) injection, for intravenous use. (2021). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/021135Orig1s037lbl.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.