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Is Viberzi covered by insurance? | How much does Viberzi cost without insurance? | How to get Viberzi without insurance
Viberzi is a prescription drug that is FDA approved to treat diarrhea and abdominal pain in people with IBS-D (irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea). Its active ingredient, eluxadoline, is an opioid receptor agonist that slows down bowel movements but is barely absorbed into the body, so it is not considered a risk for drug abuse. Viberzi is taken orally as a tablet twice a day with food. Viberzi can cause constipation, stomach pain, and rarely in the worst cases, severe constipation, intestinal blockage, and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Viberzi is a premium-priced brand-name drug with no generic or over-the-counter version. It is still possible, however, for people with a Viberzi prescription to find savings.
What is the generic for Viberzi?
Viberzi is a brand-name drug available only by prescription. Eluxadoline is the generic name for the active ingredient but is not currently available for purchase as a generic version. 2033 is the earliest likely date for generic eluxadoline to appear on the market.
Is Viberzi covered by insurance?
Viberzi is covered by some health insurance plans but is not commonly covered by Medicare prescription drug plans. When it is covered, insurance companies assign it to the highest drug tiers, meaning the copay cost will be higher than other prescription drugs. People who are covered can join the Viberzi Savings Program sponsored by Abbvie, the manufacturer. Eligible patients can pay as little as $30 out of pocket for a 30-day or 90-day supply. Keep in mind that it’s possible that the insurance plan will allow only for 30-day Viberzi prescriptions without automatic refills.
How much does Viberzi cost without insurance?
The full cash price of Viberzi averages $1,740 for 60, 100 mg tablets. For those prescribed a lower dose (75 mg), the price is not significantly different. With twice-daily dosing, this price averages out to $58 for one day of treatment or $24 per pill. There is no maximum time limit on taking Viberzi, so it may be possible to take it for months or even years. A year of Viberzi treatment will probably cost about $20,000 if paying full price. There are certainly less expensive treatment options for diarrhea, including over-the-counter Imodium AD (loperamide) and prescription Lomotil (diphenoxylate/atropine), Lotronex (alosetron), or Questran (cholestyramine). These are very different drugs from Viberzi, have different possible side effects, and may not be suitable for everyone with IBS-D.
Compare Viberzi prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Viberzi | $1742 per 60, 100 mg tablets | $1324 per 60, 100 mg tablets of brand-name Viberzi | See latest prices |
| Lomotil
(diphenoxylate-atropine) |
$126 per 30, 2.5-0.025 mg tablets | $5 per 30, 2.5-0.025 mg tablets of brand-name Lomotil | See latest prices |
| Xifaxan | $1786 per 30, 550 mg tablets | $1332 per 30, 550 mg tablets of brand-name Xifazan | See latest prices |
| Cholestyramine | $138 per 1, 378 gm of 4 gm/dose can of powder | $34 per 1, 378 gm of 4 gm/dose can of powder generic cholestyramine | See latest prices |
| FiberCon | $22.72 for 1 bottle of 90 tablets | Less than $1 for 1 bottle of 90 tablets of generic fiber | 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.
How to get Viberzi without insurance
Premium-priced drugs like Viberzi may be a struggle to pay for without insurance, especially over several months. Even some people with insurance or Medicare may find themselves paying the full retail price for their prescription. Fortunately, there’s more than one way to save on a Viberzi prescription. First, pharmaceutical companies like Abbvie sometimes offer patient assistance programs, rebates, or manufacturer coupons. These can help, but only if they’re offered and if eligibility requirements are met. Here are a few more dependable ways to get needed prescription medications, starting with a SingleCare prescription discount card.
1. Save over $400 with a SingleCare savings card
The lowest SingleCare Viberzi discount price is $1,324, more than $400 less than the average retail price of $1,742. That adds up to almost $5,000 in savings per year. Participating pharmacies will have different SingleCare discount prices.
2. Shop for the lowest price
Just by calling pharmacies to inquire about prices, a person with a Viberzi prescription can possibly save money. In fact, you can save over $240 a month simply by buying at the lowest pharmacy versus paying the highest price. That represents almost $3,000 in smart shopping savings yearly. Even lower prices are possible using a SingleCare savings card.
3. Ask the prescribing healthcare provider about other treatment options
Viberzi isn’t the only treatment for diarrhea due to IBS. However, healthcare professionals typically prescribe the more expensive drugs like Viberzi and Xifaxan only when the lower-priced drugs haven’t worked. If other drugs haven’t been tried yet, get medical advice from the prescriber about the pros and cons of using a lower-cost prescription drug for diarrhea.
4. Consider health insurance or Medicaid
Health insurance is a viable cost-saving option for chronic conditions like IBS-D. It will help reduce costs across the board, not just for high-priced branded drugs. If commercial health insurance is not affordable, then Medicaid may be the best option. Each state’s Medicaid website outlines eligibility requirements, has enrollment instructions, and has additional information that may be helpful. Here’s a warning for those patients who really need Viberzi: before signing on to a health insurance or Medicaid plan, make sure Viberzi is included in the plan’s formulary. It’s very possible that it’s not or that coverage has restrictions.
