Leucovorin

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on December 20, 2023

Leucovorin (loo koe VOR in) is a generic medication that’s prescribed along with certain cancer medications and is sometimes used to treat certain types of anemia. Leucovorin is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of leucovorin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

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

Cost of leucovorin

Like other medications, the cost of leucovorin can vary. Leucovorin is available as an oral tablet and an injection. 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 leucovorin injection

To find out how much leucovorin 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 leucovorin” section.

Coupons for leucovorin

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

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 leucovorin. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for leucovorin. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking or 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 leucovorin may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because doses of leucovorin injection are given by a doctor or another healthcare professional. 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 taking leucovorin oral tablets 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

Leucovorin 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.) Leucovorin is based on the brand-name version Wellcovorin, 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 versions.

Common questions about leucovorin and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about leucovorin.

What can I expect of the costs for leucovorin and oxaliplatin?

The price you pay for leucovorin and oxaliplatin depends on several factors, including whether you are using insurance or paying cash. Insurance companies can vary in how they cover these two drugs. Doctors often use oxaliplatin in cancer treatment regimens that also include leucovorin. In this case, insurance companies usually cover the cost of both drugs. But they may cover them differently.

Medical coverage likely covers the cost of oxaliplatin because a healthcare professional gives them. The cost of leucovorin injection may be covered this way too. But the prescription drug plan might cover the cost of leucovorin oral tablets.

The price can also vary depending on whether you use a generic or a brand-name version. Leucovorin is a generic medication. Oxaliplatin is available as a generic medication and as a brand-name version Eloxatin. Using generic products is likely to be less expensive than paying for a brand-name version.

You can learn more about the costs of leucovorin and oxaliplatin by contacting your insurance provider. Or you can ask 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 sell their drug for up to 20 years without anyone else making their drug. 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, which have already been tested. 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 leucovorin

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

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 dosage form of leucovorin affect its cost?
• How does my copay for leucovorin compare with the cash price?
• What are my options 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
• Leucovorin calcium for injection, USP. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/9df20901-6980-4d4e-89ec-40f3c1f91852/spl-doc
• Leucovorin calcium tablets, USP 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg and 25 mg Rx only. (2019). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/2627a485-05b5-4dab-ac20-dc840e5c469d/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.