Generic EpiPen is Still Expensive – Here’s How You Can Save

Unfortunately, one of the most popular auto-injectors,  EpiPen, costs around $630 for a pack of two auto-injectors, making them unaffordable for many people in need. EpiPen’s generic version of epinephrine is not much better at about half the price of the brand drug. But, there are other alternatives and GoodRx is here to help.

First off, why is EpiPen so expensive?

You may remember the EpiPen pricing controversy from about a year back, but here’s a refresher.

In August 2016, many patients who ordered EpiPen or EpiPen Jr (the auto-injector for children weighing 33 to 66 pounds) experienced sticker shock at the pharmacy. Those paying the cash price for EpiPen were hit with a bill for a whopping $600 or more for a pack of two auto-injectors. It soon came out that Mylan had increased prices for EpiPen and EpiPen Jr by 400% from 2011 to 2016.

How was Mylan able to do this? Because they had the market all to themselves. The main competing auto-injector was discontinued in 2012, leaving EpiPen as the only auto-injector available to treat anaphylaxis. With competitors out of the game, Mylan was free to gradually raise the cost of EpiPen more than four-fold without decreasing the demand.

When news broke of the large price hike, the outcry was loud. Top news outlets picked up the story, and Mylan was eventually hit with some lawsuits—sparking a nationwide discussion about drug prices. Mylan attempted to ease the public outcry by releasing an authorized generic version of EpiPen: epinephrine. The outrage, it appeared, had worked, and manufacturers were starting to listen and respond. Or, so it seemed.

How much does generic EpiPen cost?

Unfortunately, prices for EpiPen are still sky high. After the outcry, Teva Pharmaceuticals also announced that they would be releasing an EpiPen generic of their own, at a large discount. Teva’s generic just came on the market, but the release hasn’t decreased prices.

Cash prices for a pack of two epinephrine auto-injectors currently average around $380. While this is about 50% cheaper than brand-name EpiPen, generic epinephrine is still not affordable for many Americans. Luckily, there are some ways you can save.

Savings tip #1: Use your insurance

The best way to save on EpiPen is to use your insurance for generic epinephrine, as the generic is covered by most insurance plans. However, with the increase in high-deductible health plans, you might notice that even with insurance, you could be on the hook for a large portion of the cost of the drug.

If you find that epinephrine isn’t covered by your plan, ask your doctor about an appeal. The exact process will depend on your insurance, but often requires that you work with your doctor to submit an appeal letter.

Savings tip #2: Use a GoodRx coupon and pay only $118

GoodRx coupons can reduce the price of generic epinephrine from $380 to as little as $118 for a carton of two auto-injectors. Just look up your exact epinephrine prescription on GoodRx, print, email or text yourself the coupon, and present it to your pharmacist before you pay.

Savings tip #3: Try an alternative auto-injector

We have good news! You have three other choices for epinephrine pens in addition to EpiPen and its generic.

• Adrenaclick. There are a lot of benefits to using Adrenaclick or its generic version of epinephrine. Like EpiPen, Adrenaclick is a pen-shaped auto-injector designed to be easy to use. The main difference? Adrenaclick’s generic is affordable; its cash price is around $100 for a pack of two auto-injectors at CVS. If you choose to pay with insurance, a manufacturer savings card can reduce your copay to as little as $0 per fill. You can read more about the savings card here.
• Auvi-Q. During the EpiPen pricing controversy, manufacturer kaléo made it their mission to develop an affordable auto-injector and released Auvi-Q as a result. The average cash price for Auvi-Q is expensive, but kaléo offers the drug to many patients for free through the kaléo Cares Patient Assistance Program. You can read more about this program here.
• Symjepi. This one was approved by the FDA in June 2017 and isn’t on the market yet. We aren’t sure how much it is going to cost, although it is intended to be less expensive than EpiPen. For more information about this approval, read our previous post here.

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