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Is Aimovig covered by insurance? | How much does Aimovig cost without insurance? | How to get Aimovig without insurance
Aimovig (erenumab-aooe) is a brand-name prescription drug that prevents episodic or chronic migraine headaches. Its active ingredient is a monoclonal antibody that stops blood vessels in the head from widening at the start of a migraine. As a result, people with migraines experience fewer symptomatic migraine attacks each month. Aimovig is administered as a subcutaneous injection using a prefilled syringe or SureClick autoinjector once per month at a dose of either 70 mg/mL or 140 mg/mL. Unfortunately, Aimovig is an expensive drug without a less expensive generic version available, so uninsured patients might have to pay the full cash price for a prescription. There are, however, several ways to reduce the cost.
Is Aimovig covered by insurance?
Commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans may cover Aimovig. The average patient with commercial or private insurance and an Aimovig Ally Access Card from the manufacturer (Amgen) pays between $5 and $82 per month for Aimovig, according to Amgen. Aimovig with Medicare costs $20 or less per month for 69% of consumers, according to Amgen, and Aimovig with Medicaid costs $10 or less per month for 99% of consumers. However, the out-of-pocket cost with insurance depends on the health plan’s deductible and copay. Some insurance plans may not cover Aimovig, and some insurance companies may require prior authorization or a letter of medical necessity from the prescribing healthcare provider.
How much does Aimovig cost without insurance?
The average list price for a monthly Aimovig injection is $890 for 1, 140 mg/mL pen. A year of Aimovig treatment without insurance will cost more than $10,000.
Aimovig is a biologic drug, that is, a monoclonal antibody. It belongs to a family of drugs called calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists (CGRP antagonists). These drugs block a molecule in the body responsible for the pain and most of the symptoms of a migraine attack.
Similar CGRP antagonist antibody drugs include Vyepti (eptinezumab-jjmr), Ajovy (fremanezumab-vfrm), and Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm). All three have a monthly cost comparable to Aimovig’s. In addition to biologics, there are non-biologic CGRP antagonists that are FDA-approved to prevent migraine headaches: Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) and Qulipta (atogepant) are taken as tablets rather than injections. They are, however, much more expensive than the monoclonal antibody injections.
There are no generic versions of Aimovig or any other CGRP antagonists. However, other drugs that are used off-label for preventing migraines may have a generic version available and, therefore, can be more affordable. These include beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants.
There are no over-the-counter medications or supplements that can effectively reduce the incidence of migraine attacks.
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Compare Aimovig prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Aimovig (erenumab) | $890 per 1, 140 mg/mL autoinjector | $679 per 1, 140 mg/mL autoinjector of brand-name Aimovig | See updated prices |
| Ajovy (fremanezumab-vfrm) | $830 per 1, 225 mg/1.5 mL prefilled syringe | $571 per 1, 225 mg/1.5 mL prefilled syringe of brand-name Ajovy | See updated prices |
| Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) | $884 per 1, 120/mL autoinjector | $495 per 1, 120/mL autoinjector of brand-name Emgality | See updated prices |
| Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) | $1,185 per 8 orally disintegrating tablets | $784 per 8 orally disintegrating tablets of brand-name Nurtec | See updated prices |
| Qulipta (atogepant) | $1,317 per 30, 60 mg tablets | $992 per 30, 60 mg tablets of brand-name Qulipta | See updated 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. The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see updated drug prices.
How to get Aimovig without insurance
Without insurance, paying for expensive brand-name medications like Aimovig can be challenging. Unfortunately, even people with health insurance may find their Aimovig prescription rejected by their insurance company. Manufacturer coupons, copay cards, and patient assistance programs can help, but they either require insurance coverage or have strict eligibility requirements. For insured and uninsured patients alike who find themselves having to pay full price for Aimvoig, there are ways to bring that price down.
1. Use a free Aimovig coupon from SingleCare
A free coupon from SingleCare can be used to save money on thousands of prescriptions at participating pharmacies. Search singlecare.com for your prescription to compare prices at local pharmacies or bring a SingleCare savings card to your pharmacy to find out how much you can save on Aimovig or its alternatives. Everyone can use SingleCare whether they have insurance or not.
2. Ask the prescriber for a free sample
The prescribing healthcare provider may have a free sample of Aimovig. One injection pen is enough to last 30 days. This may give you time to find a more lasting way to save money.
3. Shop for health insurance
Aimovig will cost more than $10,000 per year without insurance coverage. At that price, it may be a good idea to shop for health insurance or switch to an insurance plan that will cover Aimovig. The additional expense may be only a fraction of the yearly cost of Aimovig or similar drugs.
4. Ask about patient assistance
You may qualify for Amgen’s patient assistance program, the Amgen Safety Net Foundation. Contact Amgen for additional information and enrollment forms.
5. Look around for the best price
Prices can vary dramatically between pharmacies, particularly when talking about high-price prescription medications. Finding the lowest pharmacy price for Aimovig could save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per year.
6. Ask the prescriber about other migraine prophylactics
When all else fails, it may be necessary to make do with other drugs that help reduce the monthly incidence of migraine attacks. These medications are effective therapies, but they work differently than drugs like Aimovig. Therefore, they may be contraindicated in certain people or have different side effects than Aimovig. Most are common medicines available in inexpensive generic versions. These include blood pressure drugs, antiepileptics, and antidepressants. Ask your provider for medical advice and full prescribing information before switching medications.
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