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Is famotidine covered by insurance? | How much does famotidine cost without insurance? | How to get famotidine without insurance
Famotidine is a generic drug available in over-the-counter and prescription-strength versions. Over-the-counter (OTC) famotidine tablets provide heartburn relief. Prescription-strength famotidine is FDA-approved to treat stomach ulcers, intestinal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and medical conditions that involve the overproduction of stomach acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Famotidine reduces the amount of acid in the stomach, helping to heal ulcers and reduce acid reflux problems such as heartburn, pain, and injury to the esophagus. Famotidine is a generic-priced prescription medication, but the cost may quickly add up over several months of treatment. OTC famotidine is lower-priced but not suitable for long-term therapy for serious stomach or intestinal issues.
Related: Famotidine dosage | Famotidine side effects
What is the brand name for famotidine?
People are probably more familiar with famotidine in one of its brand-name versions: Pepcid or Zantac. These popular brands have many over-the-counter formulations, including Pepcid AC, Pepcid AC Maximum Strength, Zantac 360, and Zantac 360 Maximum Strength. Pepcid Complete is an OTC product that combines famotidine with an antacid. As far as prescription famotidine is concerned, most people buy the generic version, though prescription strength Pepcid is available at a higher price.
Is famotidine covered by insurance?
Famotidine is a commonly-prescribed generic drug. Most people with health insurance, Medicare drug coverage, or Medicaid will have coverage for prescription-strength famotidine. View famotidine coverage in any of these sample insurance plan formularies: Humana, United Healthcare, Aetna, and Blue Care Network. Insurance plans usually don’t cover brand-name Pepcid because of its higher cost. They also don’t cover OTC-strength famotidine (10 mg tablets).
Most insurance companies place generic famotidine tablets in their lowest copay tiers, but this can vary by insurance plan. Famotidine oral solution or injections may have a higher copay. However, the final out-of-pocket cost will depend on other factors such as deductibles, coinsurance, or coverage gaps.
How much does famotidine cost without insurance?
The average cash price for 60, 20 mg tablets of prescription famotidine is about $85. That works out to $4 per tablet. People with ulcers or GERD will usually take two 20 mg tablets every day, so 60 tablets will last for 30 days. Treatment duration will vary, usually ranging from six to 12 weeks depending on the condition.
The cost of prescription famotidine therapy adds up quickly, but famotidine is perhaps the lowest-priced prescription stomach acid reducer. Famotidine is an H2 blocker. It prevents histamine from triggering the production of stomach acid. Comparable H2 blockers cost a little more than famotidine. A 30-day supply of prescription cimetidine will cost about $140, and a 30-day supply of nizatidine averages about $170.
Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole or lansoprazole are another type of stomach acid reducer. These drugs work by shutting off the pumps that bring acid into the stomach. They cost the same or more as prescription famotidine. A 30-day supply of prescription omeprazole will cost under $100. PPIs have a few advantages. They may not have some of the same side effects as famotidine, such as constipation or certain types of allergic reactions. Another advantage is that once-a-day dosing lowers the probability of a missed dose.
It may be possible to substitute over-the-counter famotidine for the prescription version. The maximum-strength dosage of famotidine is 20 mg. Zantac 360 Maximum Strength has an average drugstore price of $29 for 60 tablets. However, get medical advice from the prescribing healthcare provider before substituting OTC famotidine for the prescription version.
The cheapest option is to use a SingleCare prescription discount card. The lowest SingleCare price for 60, 20 mg tablets of famotidine is only $4.
RELATED: Famotidine alternatives: What can I take instead of famotidine?
Compare Pepcid (famotidine) prices to related drugs |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Famotidine | $85 per 60, 20 mg tablets | $4 per 60, 20 mg tablets of generic famotidine | See latest prices |
| Brand-name famotidine
(Pepcid) |
$468 per 60, 20 mg tablets | $5 per 60, 20 mg tablets of brand-name Pepcid | See latest prices |
| Nizatidine | $160 per 60, 150 mg capsules | $84 per 60, 150 mg capsules of generic nizatidine | See latest prices |
| Cimetidine | $77 per 60, 200 mg tablets | $8 per 60, 200 mg tablets of generic cimetidine | See latest prices |
| Dexlansoprazole | $467 per 30, 60 mg capsules | $117 per 30, 60 mg capsules of generic dexlansoprazole | See latest prices |
| Omeprazole | $99 per 30, 20 mg capsules | $4 per 30, 20 mg capsules of generic omeprazole | See latest prices |
| Esomeprazole magnesium | $227 per 30, 40 mg capsules | $5 per 30, 40 mg capsules of generic esomeprazole | See latest prices |
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: What’s the best heartburn medicine for you?
How to get famotidine without insurance
Although priced under $100 per month, famotidine may present budgetary challenges for uninsured patients if prescribed for a few months. People without insurance do have alternatives to paying the full retail price. The first way to save is to buy famotidine at a steeply discounted price using a free coupon from SingleCare.
1. Bring a SingleCare savings card to a participating local pharmacy
A 30-day supply of famotidine, which normally costs $85, can cost as little as $4 using SingleCare’s discount program. If the treatment lasts for four months, this adds up to a total savings of $360. Discount prices do vary by participating pharmacy, so browse available savings on SingleCare’s famotidine coupons page. Read the FAQs section on this page for more famotidine savings and drug information.
2. Compare prices
Pharmacies charge different prices for the same prescription medications. The lowest price for a 30-day supply of famotidine is $25, which is a considerable saving from the highest pharmacy price of $140 for that same prescription. Comparing prices does not have to be difficult or time-consuming. Start with SingleCare’s famotidine price comparisons to find pharmacies with low prices, then use SingleCare’s pharmacy finder to find local pharmacies offering those lower prices.
3. Get medical advice about substituting over-the-counter famotidine
The lowest-strength prescription famotidine tablets are pretty much the same as the highest-strength OTC famotidine tablets. However, the OTC version is about 1/3 the cost. Another effective H2 receptor antagonist, cimetidine, can also be purchased over the counter. Before making the switch, talk to a healthcare professional.
