Key takeaways
Many Medicare prescription drug plans cover Jardiance for FDA-approved indications, but not all do.
The price of Jardiance with Medicare varies by plan, but federal law caps its monthly out-of-pocket cost at $197.
Some Medicare beneficiaries may qualify to receive Jardiance for free or at a reduced cost.
Jardiance (empagliflozin) is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that’s been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Type 2 diabetes in people 10 years and older and to reduce the risk of complications in adults with heart disease or chronic kidney disease. It can be expensive with or without insurance coverage, but price negotiations related to the Inflation Reduction Act cap the cost of Jardiance with Medicare at $197 per 30 tablets for 2026.
Does Medicare cover Jardiance?
Yes, many Medicare prescription drug plans cover Jardiance for FDA-approved indications, which include:
- Controlling blood sugar in people 10 years and older with Type 2 diabetes
- Reducing the risk of cardiovascular-related death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
- Reducing the risk of cardiovascular-related hospitalization and death in adults with heart failure
- Reducing the risk of worsening kidney filtration, end-stage kidney disease, and cardiovascular-related hospitalization and death in adults with chronic kidney disease
“In my experience, most Medicare Part D plans cover Jardiance. But coverage doesn’t mean access will always be easy,” says Kyle Hoedebecke, MD, a board-certified physician based in Spring, Texas. “Pre-authorization and step therapy are still common practices, with many plans wanting to see documentation of diagnosis, kidney function, or prior medication use.”
Jardiance isn’t covered by Original Medicare (Part A or Part B). You’ll need a standalone Medicare Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. Even then, coverage can vary by plan, and some Medicare prescription drug plans may not cover Jardiance at all. Check your plan’s drug formulary to confirm coverage.
How much does Jardiance cost with Medicare?
Price negotiations spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act lowered the 2026 cost of Jardiance by about 66% for Medicare beneficiaries. You’ll pay no more than $197 for a one-month supply of Jardiance, but your plan’s cost-sharing structure likely means you’ll pay significantly less. Your deductible and federal out-of-pocket spending limits can affect the cost of Jardiance, too.
To find out how much Jardiance costs with Medicare, view your plan’s drug formulary and look for the tier number assigned to Jardiance. Drugs are typically sorted into three to five tiers, and higher tier numbers mean higher out-of-pocket costs.
Next, go to your plan’s summary of benefits document. It will list the amount you owe for each drug tier.
Here’s a real example. United Healthcare offers a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage. In the plan’s formulary, Jardiance is listed as tier 3. According to the plan’s summary of benefits, tier 3 drugs have a coinsurance of 18%. The cost of Jardiance with Medicare was negotiated down to $197 for 30 tablets, so you would owe 18% of that (about $36) at the pharmacy.
But that’s not the full story. You must meet the plan’s deductible before you start paying coinsurance. Medicare Part D deductibles vary but can’t be more than $615 in 2026. When you pay at the pharmacy for a covered prescription, it counts toward your deductible. If Jardiance is the only covered medication you take and you have a deductible of $615, you would need to pay the full $197 cost of Jardiance for about three months before cost-sharing would begin.
The total out-of-pocket spending for all prescriptions covered by Medicare Part D is capped at $2,100 for 2026. After you spend that much on your deductible, copay, and coinsurance, all covered prescriptions cost $0 for the rest of the calendar year.
How to save on Jardiance with Medicare
A free SingleCare coupon can help you save money on Jardiance if your Medicare plan doesn’t cover this medication. Other savings programs exist but have stricter eligibility requirements.
SingleCare prescription savings
With a SingleCare prescription discount card, you can pay as little as $255 for 30, 25 mg Jardiance tablets at participating pharmacies.
Anyone can use SingleCare regardless of income or insurance status, but you can’t combine this discount card with Medicare. In other words, paying for Jardiance with a SingleCare coupon won’t count toward your Medicare deductible or out-of-pocket limit. Thanks to the federally negotiated price, it’s cheaper to use Medicare for Jardiance anyway.
Medicare Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy)
Medicare Extra Help is a low-income subsidy program that dramatically lowers the cost of prescription drugs for eligible Medicare beneficiaries. To qualify, you must meet income and resource limits.
With Medicare Extra Help, brand-name medications like Jardiance cost $12.65 per prescription, and you no longer have to pay a deductible or monthly premium in most cases
Boehringer Ingelheim patient assistance program
Medicare Part D beneficiaries who don’t qualify for Medicare Extra Help but have an income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level may be able to get Jardiance for free through the Boehringer Ingelheim patient assistance program (PAP).
The income limit for an individual living in the lower 48 states is $39,900 per year. There are different requirements for Alaska, Hawaii, and larger households.
The Boehringer Ingelheim PAP isn’t the same as the Jardiance savings card. You must have commercial insurance to apply for the Jardiance savings card, so Medicare beneficiaries aren’t eligible.
Choosing a better Medicare Part D plan
The cost of Jardiance can vary significantly from plan to plan. Consider shopping around for a new Medicare Part D plan during the Annual Enrollment Period. Some plans offer $0 premiums or $0 deductibles, sort Jardiance into a lower drug tier, or charge more affordable copays and coinsurance. Compare plans on Medicare.gov.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a generic for Jardiance?
Not yet. Generic Jardiance isn’t expected until 2029 at the earliest, when the Boehringer Ingelheim patent expires.
How much will Jardiance cost with Medicare?
Jardiance costs vary with Medicare based on your plan’s details and whether you’re enrolled in Extra Help. However, no one with Medicare Part D pays more than $197 for a month’s supply of Jardiance in 2026.
What is a cheaper alternative to Jardiance?
Generic Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is a cheaper alternative to Jardiance that’s in the same drug class. Metformin is another affordable option to consider.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Jul. 14, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- Medicare drug price negotiation program: Negotiated prices for initial price applicability year 2026, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2024)
- Complete drug list (formulary) 2026, AARP® Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC NC-13 (HMO-POS), UnitedHealthcare (2026)
- AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC NC-13 (HMO-POS), UnitedHealthcare (2026)
- Apply for Medicare Part D Extra Help program, Social Security Administration
- Patient assistance program, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation (2026)
- Medically accurate: SingleCare’s Medical Review Board analyzes all of our content to confirm it’s in line with current medical advice.
- Evidence-based: Our content is sourced from reputable U.S.-based healthcare professionals and peer-reviewed research.
- Trustworthy: All of SingleCare’s content goes through a multi-phase review process by our writers, editors, and Medical Board in order to provide clear and credible information.