Key takeaways
Xeljanz is a brand-name treatment for active inflammatory diseases, including arthritis and ulcerative colitis.
Without insurance, the Xeljanz cost per month can be more than $7,000.
Consider using discount cards, comparing pharmacy prices, or exploring health insurance options.
Xeljanz (tofacitinib) is a brand-name prescription drug that treats inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and ulcerative colitis, typically after other medications don’t work. The FDA has approved the drug to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. People prescribed Xeljanz can take immediate-release tablets, extended-release tablets (Xeljanz XR), or an immediate-release oral solution. The monthly cost of Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR can exceed $7,000, but there are ways to save money.
RELATED: Xeljanz dosage
What is the generic for Xeljanz?
Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR are now available as generic tofacitinib and tofacitinib ER.
Is Xeljanz covered by insurance?
The conditions treated by Xeljanz are serious medical problems, so people with health insurance, Medicare Part D drug insurance, or Medicaid are usually covered, but not always. Talk to an insurance company representative about Xeljanz coverage before filling a prescription. Because Xeljanz is FDA approved for use after other drugs have failed, insurance companies usually require prior authorization before approval. They also sometimes classify it as a specialty drug in their highest copay tiers, so your Xeljanz cost with insurance may still be high. Insurance may also cover the generic version but not the brand-name.
How much does Xeljanz cost without insurance?
Xeljanz costs an average of $7,672 for 60, 5 mg immediate-release tablets or $7,798 for 30, 11 mg extended-release Xeljanz XR tablets. At that price, a year of Xeljanz treatment could cost more than $90,000.
Xeljanz is a JAK inhibitor. For some conditions, Xeljanz and other drugs like it will only be prescribed if other drug classes, such as TNF blockers, have not worked. TNF blockers include Enbrel (etanercept), Remicade (infliximab), Simponi (golimumab), and Humira (adalimumab). Because of some side effects of Xeljanz, such as an increased risk of blood clots and cardiovascular disease, it may be used cautiously or not at all for some patients.
Xeljanz and other JAK inhibitors are also premium-priced. For the conditions treated by Xeljanz, alternative JAK inhibitors include Rinvoq (upadacitinib) and Olumiant (baricitinib). They, too, are FDA-approved treatments typically employed after TNF blockers have failed. Xeljanz is the only JAK inhibitor to have an FDA-approved generic version, tofacitinib.
A SingleCare prescription discount card may provide uninsured patients with the best cost savings. The lowest tofacitinib 5 mg price with SingleCare is $1,484 for 60, 5 mg tablets, about $6,000 less than the average retail price of brand-name Xeljanz. Generic Xeljanz XR costs about $2,084 for 30, 11 mg tablets with SingleCare.
RELATED: Xeljanz alternatives: What can I take instead of Xeljanz?
Compare Xeljanz prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Xeljanz (tofacitinib) | $7,672 for 60, 5 mg tablets | $1,484 for 60, 5 mg tablets of generic tofacitinib at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
| Xeljanz XR (tofacitinib ER) | $7,798 for 30, 11 mg extended-release tablets | $2,084 for 30, 11 mg extended-release tablets of generic tofacitinib ER at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
| Rinvoq (upadacitinib) | $9,199 for 30, 15 mg extended-release tablets | $6,568 for 30, 15 mg extended-release tablets of brand-name Rinvoq at Kroger | See latest prices |
| Humira (adalimumab) | $8,958 for 2 pen injectors | $6,042 for 2 pen injectors of brand-name Humira at Kroger | See latest prices |
| Enbrel (etanercept) | $9,758 for 4, 1 mL of 50 mg/mL solution syringes | $7,710 for 4, 1 mL of 50 mg/mL solution syringes of brand-name Enbrel at Kroger | See latest prices |
| Simponi (golimumab) | $8,182 for 1, 0.5 mL of 50 mg/0.5 mL syringe | $6,519 for 1, 0.5 mL of 50 mg/0.5 mL syringe of brand-name Simponi at Kroger | See latest prices |
How to get Xeljanz without insurance
For people without health insurance, the cost of Xeljanz may be a barrier to getting treatment. One way to save money is to take advantage of Pfizer’s patient assistance program, but not everyone can meet its eligibility criteria. Instead, here are a few strategies for getting needed treatment at a lower cost.
1. Start with a SingleCare savings card
A SingleCare prescription discount card can reduce the price of a 30-day Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR prescription by as much as $6,000 for the generic version. Xeljanz savings will vary by participating pharmacy, so browse available discounts on SingleCare’s Xeljanz coupon page or Xeljanz XR coupon page. SingleCare is free to use and available to everyone. Registered members can save even more, and it’s fast and free to sign up.
2. Compare your current costs to health insurance costs
Health insurance may be more affordable than treatment costs for many of the inflammatory diseases treated by Xeljanz. Start by researching the costs and benefits of health insurance plans on your state’s health insurance marketplace. Talk to an agent or expert to help determine the best value and ensure that Xeljanz and other needed medications are included in their benefits.
3. Enroll in Medicaid or Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy
If treatment and health insurance are difficult to overcome, you may qualify for Medicaid or Medicare Extra Help. Also called Medicare LIS, Medicare Extra Help is the equivalent of Medicaid for older adults in terms of drug coverage. Research Medicaid eligibility requirements, enrollment instructions, and additional information on your state’s Medicaid website.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Jul. 17, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- Xeljanz tofacitinib tablet/solution prescribing information, DailyMed (NIH National Library of Medicine) (2026)
- TOFACITINIB tablet, film coated, DailyMed (NIH National Library of Medicine) (2026)
- Help with drug costs, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2026)
- Medically accurate: SingleCare’s Medical Review Board analyzes all of our content to confirm it’s in line with current medical advice.
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