How much is Vascepa without insurance?

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

Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) is a brand-name prescription drug that reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack in people taking statins who are diagnosed either with heart disease or Type 2 diabetes along with other cardiovascular risk factors. It is also used along with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to reduce fat (triglyceride) levels in the blood of people with very high fat (triglyceride) levels. The active ingredient in Vascepa is an omega-3 fatty acid that is very similar to EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in cold-water fish, fish oil, and dietary supplements. The standard Vascepa dosage is two grams taken twice per day with meals. Outside of very rare allergic reactions, side effects are minimal. 

Although its active ingredient is similar to over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acids, Vascepa requires a doctor’s prescription and can be expensive. There are generic versions of Vascepa, but over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acids cannot be substituted for Vascepa. 

Related: Vascepa coupon

Is Vascepa covered by insurance?

Four out of five people with commercial health insurance plans have unrestricted coverage for Vascepa. 19 out of 20 patients with a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan also have Vascepa coverage. 

How much does Vascepa cost without insurance?

The average price of a one-month supply of Vascepa is $461.78. This will purchase 120 1-gram capsules, so Vascepa will run about $15 per day. One year of treatment will add up to $5,504 at full retail price, but it can be less than $800 with a SingleCare coupon at participating pharmacies. For insured patients, copay prices will vary by plan, but some plans cover Vascepa with a generic prescription drug deductible.

There are generic prescription alternatives to Vascepa that contain either icosapent ethyl, the active ingredient in Vascepa, or omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters similar to icosapent ethyl. They are all FDA-approved to reduce triglycerides in people with very high triglyceride levels. Only brand-name Vascepa, however, is FDA-approved to improve cardiovascular outcomes in people with heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

Although icosapent ethyl is a chemical variation of EPA, a common omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, shellfish, fish oil capsules, and supplements, over-the-counter EPA cannot be effectively substituted for Vascepa. 

Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing.

How to get Vascepa without insurance?

Without health insurance coverage, Vascepa prices can be difficult to manage month after month. Saving money, then, should be a priority from the beginning. The manufacturer, Amarin, does not offer any patient assistance programs but does offer a Vascepa savings card. Although marketed as a copay savings program, the card is actually a manufacturer’s coupon for insured and uninsured alike. The savings card may be a good place to start, but not everyone can meet the eligibility requirements. Fortunately, there are other ways to save long-term on Vascepa treatment, starting with a SingleCare savings card. 

1. Use a SingleCare Vascepa coupon

A SingleCare prescription discount card reduces the cash price of a 30-day supply of Vascepa from $462 to less than $70. Visit the Vascepa discount coupon page, then download or print it and take it to your local pharmacy.

2. Ask the prescriber for a free sample

The prescribing healthcare professional may have free samples of Vascepa that could cover a few weeks to a month or more of treatment. Free samples, however, are only a stopgap measure, but they do give people time to discover a more lasting solution.

3. Consider commercial health insurance

Realistically speaking, there are long-term medical conditions where it makes sense to consider commercial health insurance. Vascepa treatment is meant to continue for years, if not for an entire lifetime. In fact, people taking Vascepa will require at least two years of daily dosing before the drug starts improving cardiovascular outcomes and even more years to experience maximum benefits. Therefore, it is beneficial to explore commercial health insurance options. It may be more affordable than most people think if they visit the health insurance marketplace or talk to an agent.

4. Consider Medicaid

If commercial health insurance premiums are too expensive, consider Medicaid. There are income requirements, but Medicaid will cover almost the entire cost of a Vascepa prescription.

5. Shop around for the best price

Just like everything else, people can always save money on prescription medications by price shopping. It can be time-consuming, so start with discount pharmacies or pharmacies in big-box discount retailers. The lowest prices are often found at online mail-order pharmacies, but make sure you are dealing with a reputable pharmacy. When combined with a Vascepa prescription savings card or SingleCare coupon, the money saved by shopping around can be considerable.

6. Ask the prescriber about alternative generic medications

If Vascepa is being prescribed for hypertriglyceridemia, then there are generic alternatives including icosapent ethyl, the generic version of Vascepa. These generic prescription drugs can save uninsured patients thousands of dollars per year.  

7.  Talk to county or city health officials

For people who live in more populated areas, help can often be found at county or city health departments. Larger urban areas often have nonprofit community health clinics that can supply some types of medications, usually generics. There may also be low-cost health insurance programs available. 

8. Ask the provider for medical advice before using over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acid supplements

If you’re considering substituting over-the-counter EPA supplements for Vascepa to treat serious problems such as very high triglycerides or significant cardiovascular risk, please get medical advice from more than one healthcare professional before making the decision. 

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