How much is hydroxyzine HCl without insurance?

Is hydroxyzine hcl covered by insurance? | How much does hydroxyzine hcl cost without insurance? | How to get hydroxyzine hcl without insurance

Hydroxyzine hydrochloride is a generic non-addictive prescription antihistamine used to treat anxiety. It is also FDA-approved to relieve itching due to allergic reactions or chronic hives, treat nausea due to pregnancy or surgery, or provide sedation before general anesthesia. Healthcare professionals also prescribe it off-label to treat insomnia or relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies. Hydroxyzine works by blocking the release of histamine, the chemical responsible for many allergy symptoms. Because sedation is one of its most common side effects, it also makes anxious or worried people feel more calm. Hydroxyzine is not a first-line treatment for anxiety. Healthcare professionals prescribe it as an alternative to benzodiazepines for episodic cases of anxiety if other anxiety medications haven’t helped. Hydroxyzine is a generic prescription drug whose cost can quickly add up if it’s used for longer than a week or ten days. But there are ways to reduce the cash price.

What is the brand name for hydroxyzine HCl?

Hydroxyzine HCl is currently available only as a generic drug. Its original brand-name version, Atarax, is no longer sold in the U.S. However, hydroxyzine comes in a slightly different chemical form called hydroxyzine pamoate, which is prescribed for all the same conditions as hydroxyzine HCl. People can purchase it as a generic or under the brand name Vistaril.

Is hydroxyzine HCl covered by insurance?

People with health insurance or Medicare can expect their insurance plan to cover a hydroxyzine prescription. In SingleCare’s survey of 45 insurance plans, including Humana, Kaiser Permanente, and Cigna, every plan covered hydroxyzine HCl. Many plans put hydroxyzine in their lowest copay tier, but this can vary. Some plans put hydroxyzine in higher copay tiers, even in the highest copay tier. In addition to the copay cost, other factors, such as deductibles or coverage gaps, may affect the final out-of-pocket cost.

Medicaid plans are less likely to cover a hydroxyzine prescription, though they cover other common antihistamines and anxiety drugs.

How much does hydroxyzine HCl cost without insurance?

At full retail price, expect to pay an average of $39 for 30, 25 mg tablets. That is a little more than one dollar per tablet. However, most people must take three to four tablets daily, so $40 will cover a week to 10 days of treatment. A month of hydroxyzine therapy could easily cost $160 a month. 

Lower-priced drugs may be an option, depending on the treated condition. For anxiety disorders, generic BuSpar (buspirone) and most SSRIs will cost less per month than hydroxyzine. Many people taking hydroxyzine for anxiety will have already tried SSRIs, buspirone, and other drugs before hydroxyzine therapy is prescribed.

As an allergy drug, hydroxyzine costs more than prescription versions of similar, first-generation antihistamines such as diphenhydramine or promethazine. Hydroxyzine costs about the same or more than second-generation antihistamines such as generic Zyrtec (cetirizine) or generic Xyzal (levocetirizine). The over-the-counter versions may be cheaper. Though the cost per tablet may be higher, people taking these drugs will only take one or two daily doses. Even if they cost more, second-generation antihistamines are often preferable to hydroxyzine because they don’t cause drowsiness and dizziness.

The cheapest alternative may be to purchase hydroxyzine with a SingleCare prescription discount card. The lowest SingleCare discount price for a 30-day supply of hydroxyzine HCl is $4.

Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.

RELATED: Does hydroxyzine for anxiety work?

How to get hydroxyzine HCl without insurance

Hydroxyzine HCl is a reasonably-priced generic drug when taken short-term. The cost can add up for longer treatment durations. Fortunately, people have a few ways to bring the retail price down, sometimes by a lot. The first place to start is to use a SingleCare prescription discount card when visiting the drugstore.

1. Use a free coupon from SingleCare 

Currently, the lowest SingleCare price for a seven- to 10-day supply of hydroxyzine is only $3.50, saving $35 off the average price. Discounts vary by participating pharmacy, so SingleCare’s hydroxyzine HCl coupons page helps find the best price at local pharmacies. Read the FAQs section for more hydroxyzine savings and drug information.

2. Buy hydroxyzine at the lowest price 

The lowest pharmacy price for hydroxyzine is about $30 less than the highest price. SingleCare offers two valuable price-shopping resources for prescription meds like hydroxyzine. To compare prices, start with the hydroxyzine HCl pricing history on the hydroxyzine HCl coupons page.

3. Ask the prescriber about other treatment options

People take hydroxyzine to relieve allergy symptoms or anxiety. If the price interferes with treatment, ask for lower-priced anxiolytics or antihistamines. There’s a good chance that many of these treatment alternatives have already been tried, but if they haven’t, the lower cost may help ensure uninterrupted treatment. 

4. Look into Medicaid or Medicare Extra Help

If the collective costs of medical treatment are financially challenging, you may qualify for Medicare Low Income Subsidy. Not all Medicaid insurance plans cover hydroxyzine, unfortunately. However, Medicaid can reduce other costs, such as doctor’s visits and other prescription medications.

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