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Key takeaways
Phentermine is a short-term weight-loss drug not typically covered by insurance.
Phentermine is a controlled substance and may not be suitable for people with certain chronic health conditions.
Without insurance, phentermine costs about $50 for a 30-day supply.
SingleCare members can pay as little as $10 for a 30-day supply.
Phentermine is a generic prescription appetite suppressant used for short-term weight loss. It is combined with exercise, a reduced-calorie diet, and lifestyle changes. The average retail cost of phentermine is about $50 for a 30-day supply, but it can be as low as $10 using a SingleCare savings coupon.
Save up to 80% on Phentermine with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
How much does phentermine cost without insurance?
People without insurance can expect to pay about $51 for 30, 37.5 mg tablets, enough medicine for one month of daily doses. That works out to less than $2 per tablet. Adipex-P, the brand-name version of phentermine, costs about $110 for a 30-day supply. Another brand-name version, Lomaira, is phentermine, which is taken three times a day instead of once daily.
Phentermine is only intended to be taken for a few weeks because of possible serious side effects, including high blood pressure and heart disease. It’s also a federally controlled substance that can cause abuse and withdrawal. For these reasons, patients usually receive short-term prescriptions for two, three, or four weeks of treatment. Phentermine is not considered safe for people who have a variety of health conditions, including uncontrolled blood pressure, heart disease, and glaucoma.
There aren’t many prescription weight management drugs to choose from. Phentermine is the lowest priced. Other lower-cost weight management medications include phendimetrazine, Alli (orlistat), diethylpropion, and benzphetamine. The rest are brand-name drugs. Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate) costs about five times more than phentermine. Contrave (naltrexone-bupropion) is 20 times the price of phentermine. The most popular treatments, like Wegovy or Zepbound, cost over a thousand dollars per month.
Insured and uninsured patients can save with a SingleCare prescription discount card. The lowest price for generic phentermine using a SingleCare savings card is $10 for a 30-day supply.
RELATED: Phentermine alternatives: What can I take instead of phentermine?
| Compare phentermine prices to related drugs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Adipex | $111 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets | $10 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets of generic Adipex | See latest prices |
| Phentermine | $51 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets | $10 per 30, 37.5 mg tablets of generic phentermine | See latest prices |
| Qsymia
(phentermine-topiramate) |
$275 per 30, 7.5-46 mg ER capsules | $173 per 30, 7.5-46 mg ER capsules of brand-name Qsymia | See latest prices |
| Zepbound
(tirzepatide) |
$1503 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL pen-injectors | $947 per 4, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/0.5 mL pen-injectors of brand-name Zepbound | See latest prices |
| Wegovy
(semaglutide) |
$1847 per 4, 0.75 mL of 2.4 mg/0.75 mL auto-injectors | $1218 per 4, 0.75 mL of 2.4 mg/0.75 mL auto-injectors of brand-name Wegovy | See latest prices |
| Saxenda
(liraglutide) |
$1802 per 5, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL pen-injectors | $1197 per 5, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL pen-injectors of brand-name Saxenda | See latest 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 (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs, if available. Click the “Savings options” link to see the latest drug prices.
Is phentermine covered by insurance?
Many health insurance and Medicare drug plans do not cover drugs prescribed for weight loss. Some Medicaid plans cover weight loss drugs like phentermine, but the coverage will vary from state to state. For these reasons, people with insurance are unlikely to find themselves covered for their phentermine prescription. Some insurance plans cover phentermine, but prior authorization may be required. The copay costs should be low, but the final out-of-pocket cost will depend on other factors, such as coinsurance and coverage gaps.
How to get phentermine covered by insurance
The first place to start is to ensure you meet the phentermine treatment criteria. The FDA has approved phentermine only for use in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater. If you have a weight-related health issue like high cholesterol, your BMI can be as low as 27 kg/m2 to qualify. However, phentermine is not used or is used with caution in people who have high blood pressure and diabetes, which are conditions that may be associated with a higher BMI. BMI is calculated based on body weight and height, so ask the prescribing healthcare professional to provide a BMI number. Even if you meet the prescribing criteria, the insurance company may approve the prescription only with a prior authorization request from the prescriber.
By law, Medicare cannot cover drugs like phentermine that are only used to treat obesity. However, Medicare patients can use a SingleCare coupon that will bring down the cost of monthly phentermine treatment to as low as $10.
How to get phentermine without insurance
The cost of phentermine averages about $51 for 30 days of treatment, but it could cost less if prescribed for a shorter period. Even at a modest price, phentermine can be purchased at a significantly discounted price. Start with a SingleCare prescription discount card and pay as little as $10 for that same one-month prescription.
1. Save up to 80% on generic drugs with SingleCare
SingleCare’s lowest price for a 30-day supply of phentermine is $10, an instant discount of $46 off the average cash price. Discount prices vary by pharmacy, but you can get $30 or more off the average retail price at many SingleCare participating pharmacies. In addition, every SingleCare drug purchase accrues future prescription drug savings through SingleCare’s loyalty and bonus savings programs. Browse phentermine savings offered by local pharmacies on the phentermine coupons page.
2. Look for the lowest price
The lowest pharmacy price for phentermine can be as much as $13 less than the highest price. Different pharmacies charge different prices for the same generic medications. It pays to compare prices.
3. Ask the prescriber about other treatment options
Phentermine is a controlled substance, and it isn’t right for everyone. Other weight loss treatments are more expensive than phentermine, and over-the-counter weight loss remedies and supplements may not work. Any weight loss treatment includes exercise, dietary, and lifestyle changes. Because phentermine tablets are only intended to kickstart the weight-loss process, diet and exercise will always remain important parts of a weight-loss program. Ask the prescriber for medical advice about how to succeed with long-term weight loss methods that don’t involve prescription medications.
4. Consider Medicaid
If medication prices are difficult to manage, you may qualify for Medicaid. Phentermine will either be free or cost very little if it is covered. Medicaid will also cover other aspects of treatment, including healthcare provider visits and tests. To find eligibility and enrollment requirements, visit your state’s Medicaid website or call local healthcare officials. Make sure to examine the policies carefully. Only some states allow Medicaid to pay for weight loss medications.
- Obesity treatment and Medicare: a guide to understanding coverage, National Council on Aging
- Phentermine hydrochloride tablet/capsule prescribing information, DailyMed (NIH National Library of Medicine)
- U.S. health policy and prescription drug coverage of FDA-approved medications for the treatment of obesity, International Journal of Obesity