Zemplar

Introduction

Written by Jen Seabright, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Beth Thomas, PharmD
Updated on December 5, 2023

Paricalcitol (pah ri KAL si tole) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for hyperparathyroidism. The brand-name version of this drug is Zemplar. The cost of paricalcitol with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved paricalcitol to prevent and treat hyperparathyroidism in adults and some children with chronic kidney disease. (Hyperparathyroidism is when your parathyroid glands make too much parathyroid hormone.)

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

Cost of paricalcitol

Like other medications, the cost of paricalcitol 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 paricalcitol injection

To find out how much paricalcitol 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 paricalcitol” section.

Coupons for paricalcitol

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

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 paricalcitol. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for paricalcitol. 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 paricalcitol injection may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of paricalcitol 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.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re using paricalcitol 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.

Generics vs. brand-names

Paricalcitol is a generic medication. Both forms of paricalcitol, oral capsule and intravenous (IV) injection (injection into the vein), are available as the brand-name Zemplar.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that 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.

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

Common questions about paricalcitol and cost

Here are some common questions about paricalcitol and their answers.  

How does the cost of paricalcitol compare with the cost of calcitriol?

Like paricalcitol, calcitriol is a generic medication that’s used to treat hyperparathyroidism due to chronic kidney disease. Calcitriol is also used to treat low calcium levels that are caused by certain medical conditions and psoriasis. Calcitrol comes as an oral capsule, oral solution, injection, and topical ointment.

The cost of paricalcitol or calcitriol may vary, depending on the form your doctor prescribes.

If you have insurance, you can talk with your insurance provider about the cost of these drugs. If you don’t have insurance, you can talk with your pharmacist. To find out which drug is best to treat your condition, talk with your doctor.

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 a medication work.)

This competition may help keep 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 or pharmacist.

What to ask about paricalcitol

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

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:

• Will the form of paricalcitol I take affect the cost?
• Will the dosage of paricalcitol my doctor prescribes affect the cost?
• What options do I have if I can’t afford my medication?

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   
• Paricalcitol capsules, for oral use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/664253fb-d99d-4af6-971b-95c0087406d9/spl-doc
• Paricalcitol – paricalcitol injection, solution. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/37bba708-1606-4edb-aa56-89b34c44d246/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.