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Is loratadine covered by insurance? | How much does loratadine cost without insurance? | How to get loratadine without insurance
Loratadine is a generic over-the-counter antihistamine. Most people know the drug as Claritin, its best-known brand. People use loratadine to relieve upper respiratory hay fever or allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose, scratchy throat, and itchy, watery eyes. As a drug class, antihistamines block the effects of histamine, the chemical responsible for many allergy symptoms.
Loratadine comes in several formulations: tablets, chewable tablets, orally disintegrating tablets (ODT), syrup, children’s loratadine—and in combination medications with other symptom-relief medications like pseudoephedrine are used to relieve nasal and sinus congestion. As a common OTC drug, the generic versions of loratadine do not cost much, usually just a few cents per tablet. Even so, there are ways to bring that cost down further.
Related: Loratadine dosage
What is the brand name for loratadine?
Claritin is the best-known loratadine brand name. It is marketed in a variety of products: Claritin, Claritin-D (loratadine and pseudoephedrine), Claritin Reditabs, Claritin LiquiGels, Claritin Chewables, and Claritin Childrens. Other brand-name versions include Alavert.
As a generic product, loratadine is typically called Allergy Relief (loratadine), Allergy Relief-D (loratadine and pseudoephedrine), or Children’s Allergy Relief (loratadine). That’s what the package will say. If the intent is to take loratadine, make sure to read the active ingredients list before purchasing a product labeled “Allergy Relief.” These products can contain any antihistamine as its active ingredient: loratadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine, chlorpheniramine, levocetirizine, or diphenhydramine. Any nasal spray called Allergy Relief is often a steroid without any antihistamine. All these drugs are effective at relieving the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and hay fever, but the effectiveness and side effects may vary. It’s always important to read the active ingredients on the label to know exactly what medication you are getting. You can always ask your pharmacist for help if you are not sure what medication you need.
RELATED: Is it allergies or a sinus infection?
Is loratadine covered by insurance?
Loratadine is an over-the-counter medication not usually covered by health insurance or Medicare Part D. There are exceptions, such as Ambetter. Medicaid, the VA, and TRICARE also usually cover loratadine tablets, though they may not cover other formats or brand-name versions such as Claritin. These insurance plans generally require a prescription from a healthcare provider in order to cover OTC loratadine. There should be only a minimal or no copay cost for Medicaid, TRICARE, and the VA.
How much does loratadine cost without insurance?
The average retail price for 300, 10 mg tablets of loratadine is about $19—a little over six cents per tablet. Smaller sizes will cost about the same—around $6 for 45 tablets, or about 13 cents per tablet. The standard dosage is one tablet per day.
Other FDA-approved antihistamines may cost less. All it takes is a visit to a local drugstore or grocery store to compare prices. First-generation antihistamines such as generic Chlor-Timetron (chlorpheniramine) or generic Benadryl (diphenhydramine) tend to be the cheapest, but they cause drowsiness, dry mouth, lowered blood pressure, and other side effects. Second-generation antihistamines (which are less likely to cause drowsiness) such as loratadine, generic Zyrtec (cetirizine), generic Xyzal (levocetirizine), and generic Allegra (fexofenadine) tend to cost slightly more. Prescription antihistamines used to treat seasonal allergies, such as Clarinex (desloratidine), are more expensive than over-the-counter versions.
The best cost-saving option may be to use a SingleCare prescription discount card when purchasing over-the-counter generic antihistamines at participating pharmacies. The lowest SingleCare discount price for 300, 10 mg tablets of loratadine is only 48 cents. That works out to only 1/6 of a cent per tablet. Note that to use a SingleCare card on an OTC item, you’ll need a prescription from a healthcare provider.
Compare Claritin (loratadine) prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Loratadine | $19 per 300, 10 mg tablets | $3 per 300, 10 mg tablets of generic loratadine | See latest prices |
| Brand-name loratadine
(Claritin) |
$33 per 30, 10 mg tablets | $3 per 30, 10 mg tablets of brand-name Claritin | See latest prices |
| Loratadine-D 24 hr | $43 per 30, extended-release 24-hour tablets | $22 per 30, extended-release 24-hour tablets of generic loratadine-D | See latest prices |
| Levocetirizine | $106 per 30, 5 mg tablets | $5 per 30, 5 mg tablets of generic levocetirizine | See latest prices |
| Cetirizine | $52 per 30, 10 mg tablets | $3 per 30, 10 mg tablets of generic cetirizine | See latest prices |
| Fexofenadine | $36 per 1 bottle of 100 tablets | $6 per 1 bottle of 100 tablets of generic fexofenadine | See latest prices |
| Diphenhydramine | $60 per 30, 25 mg capsules | $17 per 30, 25 mg capsules of generic diphenhydramine | See latest prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.
How to get loratadine without insurance
People both with and without insurance, will probably end up purchasing loratadine using their own money. The cash price is fairly low, but that doesn’t mean the cost can’t come down. It’s possible to reduce the price significantly. The first place to find big savings on prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs is SingleCare.
1. Save money with SingleCare discounts
A 300-day supply of loratadine can cost as low as 48 cents with a free coupon from SingleCare. One penny will pay for a week of daily doses at that price. SingleCare discounts will vary by participating pharmacy, so visit SingleCare’s loratadine coupons page to browse available discounts. Continue past the discount prices to discover more savings and drug information in the FAQs section.
2. Shop for the lowest price
Go to SingleCare’s loratadine price history table to start comparing prices. You’ll find that the lowest pharmacy price for 300 loratadine tablets is only $5. The highest price is $17. That’s a $12 savings instantly found using SingleCare’s price comparisons. Then visit SingleCare’s pharmacy finder page to find a local pharmacy.
3. Buy in bulk
If allergy symptoms are a frequent problem in the family, buy loratadine in large quantities (just check the expiration date first!). Most stores sell loratadine in boxes of 30 or 45 tablets. They will cost around $4 to $7, and a purchase of 300 tablets can cost as little as $19. Add a SingleCare prescription discount card, and the price can be under one dollar.
