Heparin
Heparin (HEP a rin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat and help prevent blood clots. Heparin isn’t available in a brand-name version. The cost of heparin, with or without insurance, can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
Heparin (HEP a rin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat and help prevent blood clots. Heparin isn’t available in a brand-name version. The cost of heparin, with or without insurance, can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
- Generic
- • Solution
- • 25 x 1ml of 5000unit/ml
- • 1 Package
Dosage settings
Set your dosage
Make sure your dosage values are correct! In order for Optum Perks to provide the most accurate discount pricing for your prescription, take a moment to verify your dosage above.
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Skyler Todd, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Bryson Russell, PharmD, MHSA, MSc
Updated on January 25, 2024
Heparin (HEP a rin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat and help prevent blood clots. Heparin isn’t available in a brand-name version. The cost of heparin, 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 heparin to treat and help prevent the following types of blood clots:
- venous thrombosis
- pulmonary embolism
- arterial embolism in your limbs
Read on to learn about heparin and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about heparin, including its uses, refer to this overview article.
Cost
Cost of heparin
Like other medications, the cost of heparin can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:
- your insurance plan, if you have coverage
- the pharmacy you use
- the cost of needles and syringes to use heparin
- the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of heparin
To find out how much heparin 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 heparin” section.
Coupons
Coupons for heparin
Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of heparin. 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
Insurance and other considerations for heparin
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 heparin. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for heparin. 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 heparin may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives you your first dose of heparin. You may continue to receive heparin doses from your doctor or they may show you how to give yourself the doses at home. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic, hospital, or at home. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.
- A 3-month supply: If you’re using heparin 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
Generics vs. brand names
Heparin is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.
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.) Heparin is based on the brand-name versions Liquaemin and Panheprin, which are 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 versions.
Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider if you have questions about generic and brand-name drugs.
FAQ
Common questions about heparin and cost
Here are some common questions and answers about heparin.
Is heparin covered by Medicare?
Yes, most Medicare prescription drug plans cover heparin. But the exact cost may depend on where you get your doses of heparin and other factors. (For more information, see the “Cost of heparin” section above.)
Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or Medicare representative about whether your specific plan covers heparin.
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
What to ask about heparin
This article provides cost information related to heparin. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for heparin.
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:
- Are there other blood thinners for my condition that cost less than heparin?
- Will heparin cost more if I give myself injections or get them in a hospital or clinic?
- Will heparin cost less with my insurance or a coupon?
Resources
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
- Heparin sodium injection, solution. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/3a998729-c912-4e21-8e49-d1e72ba6fe9e/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.
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