Key takeaways
- The price you pay for Repatha may depend on the form you use, whether you have health insurance, and other factors.
- Financial assistance may be available to help with the cost of Repatha injections.
- Your insurance may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of Repatha.
Several factors can affect the price you’ll pay for Repatha. These include:
- your treatment plan
- your insurance coverage
- the pharmacy you use
- available financial assistance for Repatha (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section)
To find out how much you’ll pay for Repatha, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. This section also has information about how much you can save by using an Optum Perks coupon.
Repatha is a biologic drug, which means it’s made from parts of living organisms. It’s not currently available as a biosimilar. Biosimilars are like generic drugs, but unlike generics (which are made for nonbiologic drugs), biosimilars are made for biologics.
Why is there such a cost difference between biologic drugs and biosimilar drugs?Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the research and testing needed to ensure their safety and effectiveness. The manufacturer of a biologic drug can sell it exclusively for up to
12 years . When the biologic drug’s patent expires, other drugmakers can create biosimilar versions. This competition in the market may lead to lower costs for biosimilars. And because biosimilars are very similar to biologic drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower costs for biosimilars.
If you take Repatha long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:
- Look into getting a 90-day supply of your medication: You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Repatha if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce the number of trips you take to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Repatha. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
- Use a mail-order pharmacy to get your medication: Using a mail-order pharmacy might help lower your cost for Repatha. Plus, you could get your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order drugs. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug through mail order. If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.
If you need financial support to pay for Repatha or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available. For example:
- Repatha’s manufacturer offers copay assistance through its Repatha copay card. You can find out about the copay card and other financial assistance options for Repatha by visiting the drug’s website.
- If you don’t have insurance or your insurance doesn’t cover Repatha, you may be able to get the medication at no cost. See the Amgen Safety Net Foundation website for details. The drug’s manufacturer does not currently offer a Repatha coupon for people without insurance.
- Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Repatha and cost.
How much does Repatha cost with insurance vs. without it?
What you pay for Repatha if you have insurance compared to what you’d pay without it depends on several factors.
Factors that could affect what you pay for this drug without insurance include:
- the quantity you’re prescribed (such as a 90-day or 30-day supply)
- whether you apply and qualify for any savings programs
- your dosage and treatment plan
- the pharmacy you use
- the form of the drug you’re prescribed (such as the prefilled syringe or the SureClick autoinjector)
These same factors may affect your price for Repatha if you have insurance. But the price you pay with insurance will also depend on:
- your specific plan benefits
- any prior authorization requirements you have for drug coverage
To learn more about what you’d pay for Repatha with or without insurance, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider (if you have one).
Does Medicare cover Repatha?
It might. You can call your Medicare plan provider to learn whether your particular plan covers the cost of this drug. The drug’s website also has some information about Medicare coverage for Repatha.
There are many types of Medicare plans, so your coverage and what you pay for prescriptions will be based on your particular plan’s benefits. You may need to obtain prior authorization before your plan will cover the cost of this medication.
Your doctor may be able to provide information about your cost for Repatha if you have Medicare.
You may want to consider the following information if you have insurance and use Repatha.
If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Repatha. This means the company and your doctor will discuss the drug in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether Repatha is covered.
If a drug requires prior authorization but you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Repatha requires prior authorization.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.