Midazolam

Introduction

Written by Dedra Weiss, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Paul Hetrick, PharmD
Updated on February 15, 2024

Midazolam (MID aye zoe lam) is a generic medication that’s given in a hospital. It’s used to help relieve anxiety and produce sleepiness before certain procedures, including surgery. The cost of midazolam, with or without insurance, can depend on several factors.

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved midazolam:

• to relieve anxiety and to produce sleepiness before certain procedures in adults and some children
• for use before giving a general anesthetic to adults and certain children
• to use with other drugs to sedate adults and some children who are intubated, mechanically ventilated, and receiving critical care

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

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Cost of midazolam

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• whether midazolam is covered under your medical or prescription insurance
• the cost to stay in the hospital and have a healthcare professional give doses of midazolam

To find out how much midazolam costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Coupons for medications

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of certain medications. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

However, you might not be able to use coupons for medications like midazolam, as these are only given by a healthcare professional.

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 midazolam

Here’s a consideration about the cost of prescription drugs:

• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of midazolam may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of midazolam. 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.

If you have questions about the above 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

Midazolam is a generic medication. A brand-name version is shown in the following table:

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 versions.

If you’re interested in taking Nayzilam, let your doctor know. Also, check whether your insurance plan covers it.

To learn how the cost of midazolam compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company. 

* Nayzilam is approved for purposes other than those that midazolam is approved for. The generic version is not approved for certain kinds of seizures.

Common questions about midazolam and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about midazolam.  

How does the cost of midazolam compare with the cost of propofol?

It depends on the type of insurance coverage you have and where you receive the drug. There may be a cost difference between propofol and midazolam.

Midazolam and propofol are different medications. They’re both used to help with anxiety and produce sleepiness or drowsiness before a medical procedure in a hospital. Propofol is only available as an injection while midazolam is available in multiple forms. (For details, see the “Generics vs. brand names” section.)

Your doctor or insurance company may prefer one drug over another. Before your procedure, talk with your doctor and insurance representative about your drug options and their costs.

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 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. 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 midazolam

This article provides cost information related to midazolam. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on prescriptions. Above on this page, you’ll find coupon information. However, you might not be able to use coupons for medications like midazolam, as these are only given by a healthcare professional.

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:

• Can adults take midazolam oral syrup? If so, what’s the cost for an adult dose?
• Does the cost of midazolam differ depending on which hospital I receive it in?
• Is there a cost difference between midazolam oral syrup and midazolam injection?
• Are there lower cost medications that can be used for the same purposes as midazolam?

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
• Midazolam hydrochloride injection, USP CIV. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/1cc9ba6e-fa1b-405e-9de8-720c567b2a73/spl-doc
• Midazolam hydrochloride syrup CIV. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/9a443652-6aff-4e27-83fe-90c65fa0f3c1/spl-doc
• Nayzilam (midazolam) nasal spray, CIV. (2023). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/211321s008lbl.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.