How much is cetirizine HCl (Zyrtec) without insurance?

Is cetirizine hcl covered by insurance? | How much does cetirizine hcl cost without insurance? | How to get cetirizine hcl without insurance

Cetirizine hydrochloride is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine that relieves the symptoms of hay fever, outdoor allergies, and other upper respiratory allergic reactions. Cetirizine tablets are taken once daily for all-day allergy relief of watery eyes, itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, scratchy throat, and hives (urticaria). As an antihistamine, cetirizine blocks histamine, a substance responsible for many allergy symptoms. It’s a second-generation, “non-drowsy” antihistamine. Cetirizine is only available as an OTC medication and is sometimes combined with pseudoephedrine to provide relief for nasal and sinus congestion. That doesn’t mean the cash price is low, unfortunately. People with or without insurance may want to find a few ways to reduce the cost.

What is the brand name for cetirizine HCl?

As a nonprescription medicine, cetirizine has a number of brand names. The best-known is Zyrtec Allergy, the original brand name of the drug when it was only available with a prescription. Zyrtec-D contains the active ingredients cetirizine and pseudoephedrine. Children’s Zyrtec comes in lower-dose chewable tablets. Aller-Tec is another common cetirizine brand name.

Is cetirizine HCl covered by insurance?

Cetirizine HCl is an over-the-counter symptom relief medication, so it’s unlikely to be covered by health insurance plans or Medicare Part D. However, there are exceptions, such as Kaiser Permanente and Humana. Some Medicaid plans may cover over-the-counter drugs like cetirizine. Expect the copay cost to be low, but not all insurance plans put cetirizine in their lowest copay tier.

How much does cetirizine HCl cost without insurance?

The full retail price of 30, 10 mg cetirizine tablets averages to be $53, so the average price for a single tablet is $1.76. One cetirizine tablet provides all-day allergy relief, so 30 tablets should last about a month..

Generic cetirizine is a mid-priced OTC allergy medication. First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine(Benadryl) and chlorpheniramine, are the cheapest alternatives, but these drugs are more likely to cause drowsiness. Generic Claritin (loratadine) is the cheapest alternative among second-generation non-drowsy antihistamines. Generic Allegra (fexofenadine) or generic Xyxal (levocetirizine) may cost more. However, some FDA-approved prescription antihistamines, like hydroxyzine, may be cheaper. Keep in mind, there may be differences in effectiveness, side effects, and drug interactions between these various antihistamines, so ask a healthcare provider for medical advice about the most appropriate allergy medication before switching.

The cheapest alternative is to use a SingleCare discount card when purchasing OTC allergy medicines. A bottle of 100 cetirizine tablets could cost as little as $3 with a SingleCare prescription discount card. 

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 cetirizine HCl without insurance

For people with or without insurance, finding ways to save on cetirizine and other OTC allergy medicines are always welcome. The first place to start is a SingleCare savings card. Not only can SingleCare save people 80% or more on prescription medications, but equivalent savings are possible on OTC medications like cetirizine at participating pharmacies with a healthcare provider’s prescription.

1. Use a SingleCare discount card at a participating local pharmacy

With a free coupon from SingleCare, 30 tablets of cetirizine could cost as little as $3. That’s enough medicine for 30 days of cetirizine treatment. The discounted price will vary by participating pharmacy, so visit SingleCare’s cetirizine coupons page to browse current discounts. 

2. Shop around 

As with all OTC medications, cetirizine prices vary widely based on the store or the brand name. The lowest store price for 30 tablets could be as much as 90% less than the highest store price. For a list of local pharmacies, use SingleCare’s pharmacy finder page.

3. Buy in quantity

If allergy symptoms are a frequent problem, consider buying cetirizine or another antihistamine in larger quantities. Many allergy relief products like cetirizine are packaged in small quantities. It’s possible to buy 14 tablets in one box. Smaller quantities are often lower in price, but they cost much more per pill. Larger quantity packages save money over the long run, especially when a SingleCare discount is applied. The lowest SingleCare price for 14 cetirizine hydrochloride tablets is about $3. Compare that to the lowest SingleCare price for 30 tablets of $3. That’s also comparable to the lowest SingleCare price for 300 tablets.

4. Consider using a lower-priced antihistamine

If cetirizine allergy relief tablets seem pricey, consider buying lower-cost antihistamines. Both diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine are much cheaper, but they’ll probably make you sleepy. Generic loratadine is probably the cheapest alternative among non-drowsy antihistamines. At $18 for 300 tablets, that works out to less than $1 per day for symptom relief. With a SingleCare discount card, that same bottle can be purchased for 50 cents.

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