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Key takeaways
Xifaxan is a brand-name digestive tract antibiotic that treats traveler’s diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. It is also used to prevent severe complications of hepatic impairment.
The total cost of treatment without insurance could range from $421 (three days) to thousands of dollars (for longer treatments).
Generic Xifaxan (rifaximin) is not yet available in the United States.
A manufacturer’s savings card or patient assistance program may help lower the cost of Xifaxan for eligible patients. Comparing pharmacy prices or considering other treatment options can also help manage costs.
Xifaxan is a brand-name prescription drug that treats irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), traveler’s diarrhea, and reduces the risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), a complication of severe liver disease. Its active ingredient is an antibiotic called rifaximin. Treatment length is variable but could require anywhere from six tablets to 42 or more at an out-of-pocket cost of $70 per tablet without insurance, and Xifaxan has no generic equivalent. Fortunately, there are ways to save money.
Related: What is Xifaxan?
How much does Xifaxan cost without insurance?
With an average retail price of $421 for six pills, Xifaxan 550 mg tablets average about $70 each. Six pills aren’t much, but some people will take Xifaxan for only a few days. Traveler’s diarrhea requires twice-daily dosing for three days (six tablets). IBS-D requires three tablets a day for 14 days (42 tablets). Hepatic encephalopathy does not have an established treatment duration, but is usually a long term treatment.
There may be less expensive alternatives, but it depends on the medical condition being treated.
For IBS-D, Xifaxan eliminates the cause of the diarrhea—elevated or disproportionate levels of bad bacteria. Xifaxan alternatives such as antidiarrheals, anticholinergics, and serotonin blockers only treat the symptoms but are more affordable.
For traveler’s diarrhea or hepatic encephalopathy, other antibiotics can be used. The preferred antibiotics for traveler’s diarrhea are generic drugs like azithromycin. Xifaxan is the preferred antibiotic to prevent hepatic encephalopathy in people who have had more than one episode. Other lower-cost antimicrobial agents are more likely to have adverse effects or drug interactions, since they are systemically absorbed. Get medical advice from the prescriber if the cost of Xifaxan is prohibitive.
Using a SingleCare prescription discount card is a great way to save money on Xifaxan and other prescription medications. The lowest SingleCare discount price for six 550 mg tablets of Xifaxan is $315. With a SingleCare discount, 42, 550 mg tablets—enough to treat IBS-D—can cost as low as $2,195.
How much does generic Xifaxan cost?
Xifaxan is a premium-priced antibiotic. A generic version will not be available in the United States until 2029 at the earliest.
Xifaxan directly fights the bacteria that cause diarrhea. Antidiarrheal medications such as loperamide can also help, but only in relieving diarrhea symptoms rather than fixing the cause. Some of these medications are generics, so antidiarrheal treatment may have a more affordable price.
Compare Xifaxan prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Xifaxan | $421 per 6, 550 mg tablets | $315 per 30, 550 mg tablets of brand-name Xifaxan | See latest prices |
| Viberzi | $2,038 per 60, 100 mg tablets | $1,462 per 60, 100 mg tablets of brand-name Viberzi | See latest prices |
| Alosetron | $1,492 per 60, 0.5 mg tablets of generic alosetron | $70 per 60, 0.5 mg tablets of generic alosetron | See latest prices |
| Loperamide | $40 per 30, 2 mg capsules of generic loperamide | $12 per 30, 2 mg capsules of generic loperamide | See latest prices |
| Lomotil
(diphenoxylate-atropine) |
$130 per 30, 2.5-0.025 mg tablets | $12 per 30, 2.5-0.025 mg tablets of brand-name Lomotil | 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 link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.
Save up to 80% on Xifaxan with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
Xifaxan costs by dose
Xifaxan comes in two dosage strengths, which may affect the price. However, the total price will depend on treatment duration: three days for traveler’s diarrhea, 14 days for irritable bowel syndrome, or indefinitely to prevent episodes of hepatic encephalopathy.
Compare Xifaxan prices by strength |
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|---|---|---|
| Strength | SingleCare price of brand-name | |
| 200 mg of Xifaxan | $101 for 9, 200 mg tablets of Xifaxan (traveler’s diarrhea) | |
| 550 mg of Xifaxan | $2,194 for 42, 550 mg tablets of Xifaxan (IBS-D or hepatic encephalopathy) | |
| See our lowest price for Xifaxan without insurance | ||
Is Xifaxan covered by insurance?
Xifaxan is covered by most health insurance providers, Medicare Part D and Medicaid, but coverage may vary by insurance plan. Some insurance companies may require the prescription to be filled through mail order.
How to get Xifaxan covered by insurance
A Xifaxan prescription may take some effort to fill with insurance. Coverage usually comes with restrictions including prior authorization and quantity limits. Prior authorization requires the doctor to document the medical necessity of the prescription.
If the insurance provider still denies coverage, the first step is to check the prescription. Xifaxan is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat common bowel infections such as C. difficile-associated diarrhea. Insurance companies usually turn down these claims. For these other possible uses of Xifaxan, try filing a formulary exception with the company. Like prior authorization, prescribing healthcare professionals must send the insurance provider a letter of medical necessity.
How to get Xifaxan without insurance
Because of its high cost, Xifaxan can be challenging to purchase at its full premium price. Even with health insurance coverage, the copay cost and additional fees may still be high. The manufacturer offers some financial help in the form of a copay card or its patient assistance program, but these won’t help people without insurance who don’t meet the strict eligibility criteria. There are more certain ways to save money on a Xifaxan prescription, starting with a free Xifaxan coupon from SingleCare.
1. Use a SingleCare savings card
A free coupon from SingleCare can lower the cost of Xifaxan to as little as $101 for 9, 200 mg tablets. Discounts will vary by participating pharmacy, so compare available discounts at local pharmacies on SingleCare’s Xifaxan coupon page. The FAQs section on this page has additional savings and drug information. Be sure to join SingleCare’s free loyalty program to earn bonus savings every time you use SingleCare.
2. Compare pharmacy prices
By purchasing Xifaxan at the lowest price available, patients can save almost $40 off the highest pharmacy price for six tablets. Save time by using SingleCare’s average price history table for Xifaxan and find the lowest price immediately.
3. Ask the prescribing healthcare provider about other treatment options
Many of the conditions that Xifaxan treats have other treatment options. These include other antibiotics as well as diarrhea relief medications. Though these drugs have a lower cost, they are not a perfect substitute, and there will be trade-offs. Ask the prescriber for medical advice.
- Bausch wins US appeal to block Alvogen generic of diarrhea drug, Reuters
- Hepatic encephalopathy, StatPearls
- Traveler’s diarrhea, StatPearls
- Xifaxan, Salix Pharmaceuticals
- Xifaxan rifaximin tablet full prescribing information, NIH National Library of Medicine