Copaxone and Cost: How to Find Savings and More
Copaxone (glatiramer) is a prescription drug used to treat certain types of multiple sclerosis (MS). Copaxone’s cost may depend on factors such as your dosage, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.
How much does Copaxone cost?
The السعر you pay for Copaxone can vary. To find out how much you’ll pay for Copaxone, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Is Copaxone available as a generic?
Copaxone is available as the generic drugs glatiramer and Glatopa.* A generic contains an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. A generic is considered just as safe and effective as the original drug but tends to cost less.
To find out how the costs of Copaxone, glatiramer, and Glatopa compare, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
If you’ve been prescribed Copaxone and you’re interested in trying glatiramer or Glatopa instead, talk with your doctor. They may recommend that you use one version over the others. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider, as it may not cover all versions of this drug.
* Glatopa is a branded-generic drug. Generic drugs are usually referred to by the name of their active ingredient. But branded-generic drugs are given a trade name by the manufacturer.
Why is there such a cost difference between brand-name drugs and generics?
Years of research and testing are needed to ensure that brand-name drugs are safe and effective. This testing can make the drugs expensive. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell the drug exclusively for up to 20 years. After that, other drugmakers can create generic versions. This competition in the market can lead to lower costs for generics. And because generics have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower generic costs.
How can I lower my long-term drug costs?
If you use Copaxone long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:
Look into getting a 90-day supply of your medication: You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Copaxone if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Copaxone. If you’re interested in a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Use a mail-order pharmacy to get your medication: Using a mail-order pharmacy might help lower your cost for Copaxone. Plus, you could get your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order drugs. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug through mail order. If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.
Can I get help paying for Copaxone?
If you need help covering the cost of Copaxone or understanding your insurance, check out these resources:
On these pages, you can find insurance information, details on drug assistance programs, and links to savings cards and other services.
If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
FAQ about cost and Copaxone
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Copaxone and cost.
What’s the cost of Copaxone without insurance vs. with insurance?
The cost of Copaxone without insurance versus with insurance can vary based on several factors.
Some factors that may affect your cost of Copaxone without insurance include:
The same factors affect your cost of the drug if you’re paying through insurance. But in addition, your cost with insurance may depend on:
To find out more about your cost with and without insurance, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider (if you have one).
Is Copaxone covered by Medicare?
It’s possible. To find out whether your Medicare plan covers the cost of Copaxone, call your plan provider. There are many types of Medicare plans, and your cost and coverage depend on your particular plan’s benefits.
Keep in mind that your plan may have prior authorization requirements before it will cover Copaxone. (See the “Prior authorization” section below for more information.)
You can also ask your doctor about the cost of Copaxone if you have Medicare.
Prior authorization
If you have insurance, you may need to get prior authorization before your insurance provider will cover Copaxone. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Copaxone in regard to your treatment. Then, the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Copaxone requires prior authorization and you don’t receive it before you start treatment, you could pay the full cost of the drug.
Be sure to ask your insurance company whether Copaxone requires prior authorization.
What should my next steps be?
If you still have questions about the cost of Copaxone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to give you a better idea of what you’ll pay for this drug. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual price you’d pay for Copaxone.
Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:
To learn more about Copaxone, see these articles:
This article is incredibly informative for anyone navigating the costs associated with Copaxone. The tips on finding savings through patient assistance programs and generics are especially helpful. Thanks for shedding light on this important issue!
Sure, here’s a comment for the post:
“Great information on managing the cost of Copaxone! It’s really helpful to know about the various savings programs and assistance options available. Navigating medication expenses can be overwhelming, so resources like this make a huge difference. Thanks for sharing!”
Thanks for sharing this valuable information! It’s great to see options for those needing Copaxone to manage their treatment costs. Every bit helps, especially with the high costs of medications.
Great insights in this post! It’s always a challenge to balance necessary medication with financial sustainability. Thanks for sharing these valuable tips on finding savings for Copaxone. It’s reassuring to know there are resources and strategies out there to help manage costs.
As someone who relies on Copaxone, I appreciate this post highlighting ways to save on medication costs. It’s invaluable to find programs and resources that can ease the financial burden while managing MS. Thanks for sharing these tips!