How to get free Chantix (even without health insurance)

In July 2021, Pfizer paused production of Chantix and recalled the drug due to increased nitrosamine levels. The FDA later approved varenicline tartrate, the generic version, which is what is now widely available. Although people still use the term “Chantix,” the brand-name drug isn’t currently available.

Quitting smoking is tough. As its effects wear off, nicotine creates a powerful, physical need for more. Nicotine replacement therapies in the form of lozenges, inhalers, sprays, gum, and patches have helped fend off nicotine urges. More recently, however, physicians have been turning to Chantix as a promising alternative. Although it’s pricier, requires a prescription, and carries more risk of side effects, it may offer better results than nicotine replacements. However, Chantix is a newer drug, and it’s priced like one. Generic Chantix is not yet available, so finding the lowest price is an important part of the process. Fortunately, you can get a discount or get free Chantix, even without health insurance.

What is Chantix?

Chantix is a prescription smoking cessation drug. The active ingredient, varenicline, attaches itself to the same receptors in the brain as nicotine does and has most of the same effects. In essence, Chantix works like nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches or lozenges, but without the nicotine (and its harmful effects). 

You gradually reduce smoking over time while taking Chantix. This unusual approach contrasts sharply with nicotine replacement, which produces the best results when you stop smoking cold turkey at the start of the therapy. By binding to nicotine receptors in the brain, varenicline prevents nicotine from cigarettes from binding to those receptors. As a result, the smoker does not receive a nicotine “hit” from smoking, just a bad taste in the mouth. So smoking while taking Chantix is part of the treatment. Cigarettes lose their effect, and the brain learns not to crave them.

The right program depends on how willing you are to quit smoking, and your history of previous attempts to quit. There are three approaches to quitting with Chantix.

• Fixed quit approach: You take Chantix for 12 weeks and stop smoking cigarettes at the end of the first week of treatment.
• Flexible quit approach: In the one-month program, you take Chantix for 12 weeks but gradually reduce smoking cigarettes over the first four weeks.
• Gradual quit approach:  You gradually decrease the amount of smoking over 12 weeks, and take Chantix for a total of 24 weeks.

Chantix dosages

On days one through three, you’ll take 0.5 mg of Chantix once daily. On days four through seven, you’ll take 0.5 mg of Chantix twice daily. Then on day eight through the end of treatment, the dose of Chantix is a 1 mg tablet taken twice daily. Take each tablet with a full glass of water following a meal. 

A Chantix prescription is usually divided into a Starting Month Pack and a Continuing Month Pack. The Chantix Starting Month Pack begins with a 0.5 mg dose for the first seven days (once daily for three days, then twice daily for four days) before switching to the 1 mg twice daily standard fixed-dose. The Chantix Continuing Month Pack contains only the twice-daily fixed-dose tablets.

Chantix side effects

The possible side effects of Chantix are much more common and potentially more severe than the ones for nicotine replacement. That’s because you’ve already been exposed to the side effects of nicotine for the entire time you’ve been smoking. Replacing cigarettes with gum or a patch doesn’t introduce new ones like a prescription can.

The most common side effects of Chantix include nausea, headaches, and stomach pains. Possible serious side effects include seizures, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, strange dreams, heart attack, stroke, and potentially severe allergic reactions (including angioedema, a swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat). 

Chantix also may substantially worsen underlying psychiatric conditions, such as depression, aggression, and psychosis. A substantial percentage of smokers also live with some form of mental illness, so Chantix can be risky in those cases. For all these reasons, healthcare providers will usually try other therapies several times before recommending Chantix. 

Chantix vs. nicotine replacement therapies

You might ask, then, why take Chantix instead of a nicotine patch or some other nicotine therapy? Nicotine therapy is cheaper and has fewer and less severe side effects. You don’t even need to see a healthcare provider; it’s widely available over-the-counter. Chantix requires a doctor’s visit, and there’s no guarantee the healthcare provider will prescribe it.

It’s a good question that has a good answer. Many people have to make several attempts to quit smoking before it sticks. Sometimes, standard nicotine replacement therapies don’t work. Healthcare providers faced with this dilemma have to weigh the health benefits of successfully quitting cigarettes with the risks posed by Chantix. For people who have tried multiple times to stop smoking using nicotine replacement or Zyban (bupropion) and haven’t succeeded, healthcare providers may then decide to give Chantix a try.

RELATED: Wellbutrin vs. Chantix 

Smoking cessation studies show that Chantix may be a more successful treatment than nicotine replacement, but other studies have found little difference. Nevertheless, Chantix is a medication a physician can prescribe when all else hasn’t gotten the job done. 

How much does Chantix cost without insurance?

Chantix is a three- to six-month fixed-dose treatment. The average cost of both the one-month Starting Pack (53 tablets) and the Continuing Month Pack (56 tablets) is $593.59 for patients without insurance. That means the out-of-pocket cost for a full course of Chantix treatment will be either $1,800 for 12 weeks or $3,600 for 24 weeks.

Fortunately, almost all health insurance plans, Medicaid, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover Chantix. Copays vary by the health plan, but many insurance companies will cover it at full price, providing insured pharmacy customers with free Chantix. The Affordable Care Act mandates that some health insurance plans—including most marketplace plans—cover smoking cessation therapies, including FDA-approved medications, at no cost to the insured.

How to get discounted or free Chantix

Chantix is an expensive alternative to other smoking cessation programs. If those therapies don’t work, patients can find ways to save a significant amount on a Chantix prescription.

1. Health insurance or Medicare

Health insurance and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans will cover part or all of the cost of the prescription. Some plans are required by law to cover all the costs of smoking cessation treatments, including Chantix. 

It’s worth considering an affordable health insurance plan. For low-income patients, premiums may be partially or entirely refunded as a federal income tax credit. Chantix is a limited-time treatment—three to six months—and the cost of health insurance that can fully cover this drug over this short period may be less than the out-of-pocket cost for the medication (and costs of doctor’s office visits). Just make sure to request a drug formulary so you can choose an insurance plan that includes free Chantix.

2. Medicaid

Medicaid is required by law to pay for smoking cessation drugs, but the copay cost will vary by state. Some states require that people try other smoking cessation medications before they cover the more expensive option: Chantix. 

3. Pfizer

Most brand-name prescription drug manufacturers offer some form of financial relief for patients unable to pay for their medications. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix, provides a few options. First, the Pfizer Patient Assistance Program provides free Chantix to low-income patients. The Chantix Starting Month Pack and refills will be provided through the patient’s healthcare provider. 

Second, the Pfizer Savings Program allows uninsured patients, no matter their income level, to purchase Chantix at a discounted price at any local pharmacy. 

Lastly, you can apply for a Chantix savings card to save up to $75 per month, but there are specific eligibility requirements you’ll have to meet. Pfizer does not offer rebates on Chantix. More details on all of the Pfizer savings programs are available on the Pfizer website. 

4. Pharmacy savings

Chantix prices vary by pharmacy, so it pays to shop for the lowest price. Some pharmacies may offer Chantix for as much as $100 less than higher-priced pharmacies. You can search for your Chantix prescription and enter your zip code on singlecare.com to find the pharmacy near you with the lowest price.

5. SingleCare Chantix coupon

A SingleCare prescription discount card generates reliable savings month after month for Chantix and many other prescription medications. Use our free Chantix coupons at thousands of participating pharmacies across the United States, including CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and more. Simply present the coupon when you drop off your prescription. 

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