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Is travoprost covered by insurance? | How much does travoprost cost without insurance? | How to get travoprost without insurance
Available only with a prescription, travoprost is a generic drug, FDA-approved to reduce high pressure in the eye in people with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma, an eye disease caused by elevated eye pressure. Travoprost is a topical medicine that is administered as a single eye drop in the affected eye(s) once a day at bedtime. Travoprost works like natural compounds called prostaglandins, so it’s called a prostaglandin analog. Prostaglandins have many hormone-like effects in the body. In the eye, prostaglandins promote fluid drainage to reduce eye pressure. Without insurance coverage, travoprost may be costly for some and it is not the lowest-priced prostaglandin analog.
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What is the brand for travoprost?
Although travoprost is usually prescribed as a generic, the brand-name version, Travatan Z, is still on the market. Its retail price is only slightly higher than generic travoprost.
Is travoprost covered by insurance?
Travoprost is commonly covered by health insurance plans including Medicare drug plans. However, some plans do not cover travoprost or place the drug in its higher-cost tiers, so check with the insurance company.
How much does travoprost cost without insurance?
Without insurance coverage, a 30-day supply of travoprost (one bottle with 2.5 mL of 0.004% ophthalmic solution) averages about $200, or slightly less than $7 a dose. A full year of travoprost treatment for both eyes will cost about $2,400. Although, travoprost is not the lowest-priced prostaglandin analog on the market. Latanoprost, at $80 for a 30-day supply, and bimatoprost, at a retail price of $165, are less expensive. Like travoprost, these drugs can be used for the initial treatment of glaucoma.
Health insurance will reduce the cost, but the savings are hard to predict. The final out-of-pocket cost will depend on the insurance plan’s formulary, copay cost, and any coinsurance. Various insurance companies classify travoprost across all their copay tiers, from the lowest-priced tier (Tier 1) to the highest-priced (non-preferred tier), so the copay cost could be minimal or very high. In addition, insurance plans typically set quantity limits on travoprost and other ophthalmic medications. If an eyedropper bottle runs out too soon, the refill will cost the full cash price. So, even people with health insurance may want ways to save money on travoprost.
Compare travoprost prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Travoprost | $201 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.004% solution | $50 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.004% solution of generic travoprost | See updated prices |
| Travatan Z (travoprost) | $247 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.004% solution | $50 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.004% solution of generic Travatan Z | See updated prices |
| Latanoprost | $81 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.005% solution | $8 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.005% solution of generic latanoprost | See updated prices |
| Bimatoprost | $166 for 1, 3 mL bottle of 0.03% solution | $44 for 1, 3 mL bottle of 0.03% solution of generic bimatoprost | See updated prices |
| Simbrinza (brinzolamide/brimonidine) | $274 for 1, 8 mL bottle of 1-0.2% suspension | $172 for 1, 8 mL bottle of 1-0.2% suspension of brand-name Simbrinza | See updated prices |
| Cosopt (dorzolamide/timolol) | $252 for 1, 10 mL bottle of 22.3-6.8 mg/mL solution | $13 for 1, 10 mL bottle of 22.3-6.8 mg/mL solution of generic Cosopt | See updated prices |
| Brimonidine | $203 for 1, 5 mL bottle of 0.15% solution | $52 for 1, 5 mL bottle of 0.15% solution of generic brimonidine | See updated prices |
| Rhopressa (netarsudil) | $357 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.02% solution | $301 for 1, 2.5 mL bottle of 0.02% solution of brand-name Rhopressa | See updated 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 link under “Savings options” to see updated drug prices.
How to get travoprost without insurance
Without insurance coverage, a prescription for travoprost may seem high to some people. Paying the full cash price for a travoprost prescription is not the only option. There are ways to reduce the price of generic travoprost, even by as much as $150 a month. The first place to find savings is by using a SingleCare discount card. Below are other ways to save.
1. Save up to 80% with a free coupon from SingleCare
The lowest SingleCare discount price for a 2.5 mL eye dropper bottle of travoprost—a one-month supply—is $50, a savings of $150 off the average retail price. In a year, these savings add up to $1,800, enough to justify a quick visit to SingleCare’s travoprost coupon page. On that page, discount prices are grouped by participating pharmacies so people can find the best balance between savings and the convenience of using a favorite local pharmacy.
2. Do some price shopping
As with any other purchase, savings can be found simply by comparing prices between pharmacies. These can vary widely, even for generic drugs. For generic travoprost, prices can vary by as much as $70 between pharmacies. Thus finding the lowest price could save over $800 a year.
3. Ask the prescriber about other prostaglandin eye drops
Both latanoprost and bimatoprost are less expensive than travoprost and are commonly used for glaucoma treatment. If they haven’t been tried yet, ask the prescribing healthcare professional for the drug information and medical advice about these alternatives. They work in much the same way and have similar side effects (such as eye color change, eyelash growth, dry eyes, and eye pain) and drug interactions. All can be used with contact lenses provided the lenses are removed before applying the drops, and the lenses may be re-inserted after 15 minutes. Using latanoprost instead of travoprost could save $120 per month or $1,400 a year. Save even more by using a SingleCare savings card: the lowest SingleCare price for a 30-day supply of latanoprost is $8.
