Pradaxa Cost
Pradaxa, a prescription drug, is used to reduce the chances of a stroke and blood clots for those who suffer from atrial fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm problem. It is also used to help prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after a hip replacement surgery. At the time of this publishing, there is no generic version of Pradaxa.
How much does Pradaxa cost?
The cost of Pradaxa, as with most prescriptions, will depend on the dosage, where you’re filling your prescription and your insurance company. The cost of one dose pack, without insurance, will average about $7.50 per capsule, regardless of the strengths chosen (75, 110 or 150 mg). To get this estimate, we called five popular pharmacies in our area: CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco and Sam’s Club and took the average price given. Again, these prices are for those who do not have an insurance policy.
As for private insurance and Medicare, most policies will cover this drug, with the reported co-pays ranging from $25 to $450 for 60 capsules. As with any drug, talk with your insurance company and/or the local pharmacy to see what you’re going to be responsible for.
According to livingwithatrialfibrillation.com, the average cost of a 30-day supply of Pradaxa is about $348 if two 150 milligram capsules are taken daily. When compared to the generic Warfarin, Savaysa, Xarelto, and Eliquis, the price seems to fall in the middle of the total costs. This price, like our price quotes, are for those who do not have insurance, and seeing insurance will cover this drug most of the time, you will often see a discounted rate, depending on your policy.
How to save on Pradaxa
Savings Card: The official manufacturer of the drug, Boehringer Ingelheim, offers a “Pradaxa Savings Card,” a savings card which can reduce your co-pay to as little as $5 per fill, with up to a maximum yearly savings of $2,400. To take advantage, you will register on the main company’s website, and long as you qualify, you can print the card from home and bring it to your local pharmacy that accepts it. If interested, you can activate or apply for the card by doing so here.
Official Assistance Program: The official company also offers the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program, a program which helps eligible individuals obtain medications free of charge. To learn more about the assistance program, the company encourages you either apply online or call 1-800-556-8317. To take part of the program, you will need to fill out an application form on the website to see if you qualify.
Additional Assistance Programs: Aside from the program mentioned prior, many state, federal and even non-profits can help pay for your prescription drugs as long as you meet minimum income requirements. The Partnership for Prescription Assitance, for example, can help you find local prescription help with its “find clinic” tool.
Larger Supply: If you’re able, ask your doctor if he or she is able to prescribe a larger supply as a 90-day supply when priced “per capsule,” will be a bit less than a 30-day supply. As long as you know you will need this prescription for this amount of time, then it may be wise to see if a longer prescription can be obtained.
Free Coupon Websites: Even if you have insurance, you may be able to save even more by using a free pharmacy online website. GoodRX.com, for example, allows you to search for a drug, find a local pharmacy and print the coupon for free to pay the price quoted on their website. Be sure to compare this price to your insurance price to see which option will be best for your budget.
Canada: While you should do so at your own risk, there are multiple online Canadian pharmacies that offer the same exact drug for a fraction of the price. As the prices indicated above are for those who do live in the United States, we were able to find a few online pharmacies based in Canada that only charged $2 per pill — a 250% difference.
Drug overview
Pradaxa is used to help reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots for patients who suffer from a serious heart rhythm problem known as nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Aside from this, the drug is also used to help treat and prevent blood clots again for patients who are using other medicines. The medicine is only available via a doctor’s prescription.
As with any prescription, always take as prescribed by your doctor; never take more, less or off a schedule. According to the drug medication guide, you can take this medicine with or without food, and the capsule should be swallowed whole with a full glass of water. Never crush, break and/or chew while using.
As the dosage will vary from patient to patient, the dosage will greatly depend on why you’re using the medicine. For the prevention of blood clots and stroke for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, adults often take 75 to 150 milligram twice per day, whereas to prevent a blood clot after a hip replacement surgery, patients will take about 110 milligrams a few hours after the surgery, followed by 220 milligrams once a day for the next month.
If you are using another type of blood thinner, be sure to carefully pay attention to your doctor’s orders to ensure you switch to Pradaxa correctly.
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Average Reported Cost: $0
