How much is Pulmicort Flexhaler without insurance?

Is Pulmicort Flexhaler covered by insurance? | How much does Pulmicort Flexhaler cost without insurance? | How to get Pulmicort Flexhaler without insurance

Pulmicort Flexhaler is a brand-name prescription drug FDA approved as an asthma maintenance treatment in adults and children. Budesonide, the active ingredient in the inhaler, is an inhaled corticosteroid that helps prevent airways from narrowing during an asthma attack. People with asthma usually take one to two puffs of Pulmicort twice daily to help prevent bronchospasms from happening, but the inhaler is not suitable for active asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, there are no generic budesonide inhalers, but people can buy lower-priced generic budesonide for use in a nebulizer. However, even brand-name Pulmicort can be purchased at a significant discount by following a few cost-saving tips.

What is the generic for Pulmicort Flexhaler?

A generic version of a budesonide inhaler is not yet available. However, people can buy budesonide inhalation suspension for use in a nebulizer.

Is Pulmicort Flexhaler covered by insurance?

Pulmicort Flexhaler is covered by some health insurance plans but is less likely to be covered by Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. However, nearly all health insurance plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, and Medicaid cover budesonide inhalation suspension as a preferred alternative to Pulmicort. Those plans that do cover Pulmicort tend to classify it in the highest-copay drug tiers, so insured patients can expect to pay more than they would for a generic drug. Qualified insured patients can join AstraZeneca’s patient assistance program to get a copay savings card to reduce the copay cost.

How much does Pulmicort Flexhaler cost without insurance?

At $349 per inhaler, paying the average retail price for Pulmicort Flexhaler will add up to over $4,000 per year for cash-paying patients. How long a single inhaler actually lasts will depend on the dosage strength prescribed. 

The easiest way to afford budesonide inhalant treatment is to switch to the generic version of Pulmicort Respules: budesonide solution for inhalation. Generic budesonide is not available in an inhaler, but budesonide solution can be used in a nebulizer. It’s more time-consuming to take a dose, but the cost can be slashed in half. Uninsured patients should also ask the prescribing healthcare provider for medical advice about switching to a generic inhaled steroid such as fluticasone. Generic fluticasone may be the cheapest alternative. If another maintenance drug has been prescribed, a combination inhalant may be the lowest-priced alternative.

RELATED: Pulmicort Flexhaler alternatives: What can I take instead of Pulmicort Flexhaler? 

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 Pulmicort Flexhaler without insurance

With a retail price of $350 per month, Pulmicort Flexhaler can stretch any uninsured budget. The total cost can easily exceed $4,000 per year with monthly refills. The manufacturer’s patient assistance program might help defray the cost of the prescription. However, not everyone will meet the income eligibility requirements. Manufacturer coupons and rebates aren’t offered at this time, so they’re not an option. Instead, rely on other ways to get needed asthma treatment, including buying Pulmicort Flexhaler at a discount using a SingleCare prescription discount card. 

1. Get as much as $140 off a Pulmicort prescription using SingleCare

SingleCare participating pharmacies will discount the price of a Pulmicort Flexhaler for people holding a SingleCare savings card. The lowest SingleCare price for Pulmicort Flexhaler is $140 less than the average retail price. That represents a Pulmicort Flexhaler savings of almost $1,700 per year. Find a participating pharmacy near you and shop the best discounts on SingleCare’s Pulmicort Flexhaler coupon page.

2. Compare prices between pharmacies

Different pharmacies add different markups to prescription drugs. Some are big markups, some small. Simply finding the lowest price for Pulmicort Flexhaler in your area could save $100 off the highest price there, which could add up to $1,200 in yearly savings.

3. Ask the prescribing healthcare professional about generic budesonide

With a SingleCare discount card, a 30-day supply of generic budesonide solution for inhalation can be purchased for as low as $20. That’s $340 a month and $4,000 a year cheaper than Pulmicort Flexhaler. The downside is that each ampule is used in an air compressor nebulizer which itself will cost over $50. And it takes longer: about five to 10 minutes per dose versus one or two seconds for an inhaler. Talk about the pros and cons of nebulized budesonide with the prescribing healthcare provider before switching. 

4. Look into potential cost-savings with health insurance

When everything is added up—Pulmicort Flexhaler, other prescription inhalants, doctor’s visits, medical tests, and the occasional trip to the emergency room—health insurance may be the best cost-saving alternative. Or maybe not. Shop around for health insurance policies and compare what’s being paid out now with what everything would have cost with health insurance. 

5. Enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

If health insurance is simply unaffordable, then Medicaid or CHIP may be viable options. Both are government-subsidized health insurance programs designed to minimize out-of-pocket costs for people and families with low incomes. The first place to start is to visit your state’s Medicaid website or call a local health official for eligibility information. Enrollment forms and additional information can be found online, as well.

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