Nalbuphine
Nalbuphine (NAL byoo feen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for treating severe pain. Nalbuphine is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of nalbuphine with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
Nalbuphine (NAL byoo feen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for treating severe pain. Nalbuphine is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of nalbuphine with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
- Generic
- • Solution
- • 10 Ampule x 1ml of 20mg/ml
- • 1 Package
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Fallon Mumford, PharmD
Updated on February 15, 2024
Nalbuphine (NAL byoo feen) is a generic medication that’s prescribed for treating severe pain. Nalbuphine is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of nalbuphine with or without insurance can depend on several factors.
Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved nalbuphine to treat severe pain that cannot be treated with non-opioid medications. It may also be used with anesthesia.
Read on to learn about nalbuphine and cost. If you’d like more information about nalbuphine, including its uses, talk with your doctor.
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Cost
Cost of nalbuphine
Like other medications, the cost of nalbuphine can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:
- your insurance plan, if you have coverage
- whether nalbuphine is covered under your medical or prescription insurance
- the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of nalbuphine
To find out how much nalbuphine costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.
Coupons
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 nalbuphine, as these are given only 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
Insurance and other considerations for nalbuphine
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 nalbuphine. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for nalbuphine. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin treatment 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 nalbuphine may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of nalbuphine. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s office, 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 copays. These include copays for visits to the doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital to receive doses of nalbuphine. HSA and FSA plans allow people to save money by using pretax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as copays and prescription and over-the-counter 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 contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.
If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor know. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.
Generics vs. brand-names
Generics vs. brand-names
Nalbuphine 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.) Nalbuphine is based on the brand-name version Nubain, 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 version.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about generic and brand-name medications.
FAQ
Common questions about nalbuphine and cost
Here are some common questions and answers about nalbuphine.
Is nalbuphine covered by Medicare?
Possibly. Whether nalbuphine is covered by Medicare will depend on your specific plan. Because nalbuphine is given by a healthcare professional, it may be billed through a different part of your Medicare plan than your prescription drug coverage.
If you have questions about how much nalbuphine will cost with your Medicare plan, talk with your doctor or your specific plan provider.
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 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
What to ask about nalbuphine
This article provides cost information related to nalbuphine. 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 nalbuphine, as these are given only by a healthcare professional.
If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor. 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 my insurance plan cover nalbuphine?
- How many doses of nalbuphine will I need to plan to pay for?
- Are there other lower cost medications available to treat my condition?
Article 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
- Nalbuphine hydrochloride. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/a99fe500-f52b-483c-807c-178f1a78a02b/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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