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Prescription drugs can get very expensive these days, and for some people the cost can really add up. It’s important to know how much the medicine that keeps you alive is going to cost. How much is an EpiPen going to cost you?
Brand name EpiPens, or epinephrine injectors, usually cost around $700, while generic versions cost around $350. The price depends on the brand and the pharmacy. Most insurance policies cover generic epinephrine injectors.
There are a few types of EpiPens, which tend to cost more or less than others, and there is also a difference in cost based on the pharmacy you use or whether you purchase name brand or generic epinephrine injectors.
What is an EpiPen?
EpiPens are a brand of epinephrine autoinjector. Epinephrine injectors are used to treat anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is an extreme allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis can cause trouble breathing, meaning that if it isn’t treated immediately, you could die. People with severe allergies that can cause anaphylaxis tend to carry around an epinephrine injector in case they are inadvertently exposed to the thing they are allergic to. Having an epinephrine injector can save their life.
When should you use an EpiPen?
It’s important to use an EpiPen at the first sign of a severe allergic reaction. Reactions can happen within minutes or hours after exposure. It’s important to know the symptoms to look out for like swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, skin redness, and fainting. Every second counts, so don’t hesitate using your EpiPen when you need it the most.
If you have a severe allergy that can cause you to go into anaphylaxis, it is important that you carry around an epinephrine injector at all times. Should you go into anaphylaxis, you or someone else can administer the epinephrine injector, which will treat anaphylaxis, giving you enough time to go to the hospital to completely counteract the symptoms. If you or a family member has a severe allergy and doesn’t already have an epinephrine injector, you should get a prescription.
Do you Have to go to the Hospital after using an EpiPen?
After using an EpiPen, you should always call 9-1-1 or go directly to your closest emergency department or Hospital. When you have a severe allergic reaction or go into anaphylaxis, there is a possibility that you could have a second reaction or the effects of the epinephrine will wear off. By going to the hospital, you will be monitored and find out if you need additional medication.
You’ll want to have another EpiPen with you and stay close by the hospital for the next 48 hours in case of another emergency.
If you do not have health insurance, you can get affordable healthcare for the large and unexpected medical events. While EpiPens are not usually shared expenses with a Health Share, Hospital stays can be. Check out my article about what a Health Share is and how it works and the Best Health Share plans I recommend.
How do you store an EpiPen?
You should keep your EpiPen at room temperature (68 to 77 degrees) and away from direct sunlight. Epinephrine should not be exposed to extremes – too much heat or cold – for long periods of time. Because of this, you should not to leave your EpiPen in the car during hot or cold weather.
To be sure your EpiPen has been stored correctly, check the solution in the viewing window and replace it if it’s discolored or cloudy.
EpiPens do expire, so it’s important to know the expiration date and set a reminder for when it’s time to get a new one. The expiration date on the EpiPen refers to the last day of the month.
How to use an EpiPen
It’s important that you know how to administer the injector that you have. You can’t practice using it, as that will use up the dosage, wasting a lot of money. However, you can read the instructions on the packaging or the injector itself. You can also watch a video if you don’t understand since some of the epinephrine injectors might have more complicated instructions than you’d expect. You probably won’t have time to figure out exactly how to use it when your throat is closing up.
Types of EpiPens
The two main types of EpiPens are regular injectors and injectors for children.
Each brand is going to work a certain way and administer a different dose size. Different types of epinephrine injectors are activated in different ways. Some of them also take longer than others to administer all of the epinephrine; some only require you to leave the needle in for 2 seconds, while others take up to 10 seconds.
Getting an EpiPen that injects too much epinephrine for the person using it can wreak even more havoc on an already stressful situation. Make sure that the epinephrine injector you purchase is the right dose for you or your child.
Standard EpiPen
Regular epinephrine injectors have 0.3 mg dose of epinephrine, which is generally for people who weigh over 66 pounds.
The standard epinephrine injector comes in the brand name (EpiPen) or generic versions.
Some injectors will also have longer needles.This may be important to consider, because whoever it is that may need the EpiPen may also end up in a situation where they need to use it on their own body. If they are going to have a hard time sticking in a longer needle, you may need one with a shorter needle. You may want to discuss this with your Doctor when you get your prescription.
EpiPen Junior
Children’s epinephrine injectors have 0.15 mg dose of epinephrine, which is generally for children that weigh 33 to 66 pounds. Children that weigh less than 33 pounds can be given a 0.1mg dose, which is only available with Auvi-Q injectors.
Make sure that you get the correct dosage based on your or your child’s weight. Too much or too little epinephrine can cause problems.
The needle length for EpiPen Jr is 12.7 mm, which was long enough to strike bone in 43% of the subjects. “I’ve had three patients where the needle came back bent, so this happens,” said Dr. Harold Kim, an allergist in Kitchener, Ont. “Fortunately, there’s a fairly simple workaround. I ask parents to squeeze the [thigh] muscle before they give the shot, so that the muscle doesn’t compress. If the muscle doesn’t compress, you won’t hit bone, and the kid is going to be fine.” Parents just need to be careful to not inject their fingers when they are administering the epinephrine to their child.
Children and EpiPens
If your child has a prescription for an EpiPen, a parent or caregiver should have it on hand at all times. If your child is in daycare of in school, ensure their teacher and school have extra EpiPens and that they know how to use it. If kids are old enough, they can carry a fanny pack or something similar so it’s always on their body in case of an emergency.
How Much Does an EpiPen Cost without Insurance?
Epinephrine injectors are unfortunately not cheap. Brand name injectors typically cost somewhere around $700, ranging from $650 to $750. Generic injectors are usually about half the price, around $350, though the cost can vary more from $200 to $600 depending on the pharmacy and if there are discounts applied.
The price range of EpiPens usually depends on the type or brand of injector you get. Some brands will cost more than others. There are also different prices at different pharmacies, which tend to mark up the cost more or less than others.
Which Pharmacy Has the Best Price for an EpiPen?
The cost of epinephrine injectors can vary based on the pharmacy. Pharmacies are not going to charge the same amount as each other, though the costs are going to be fairly similar for the same brands.
Some will have more expensive brand name injectors and cheaper generic ones. Some may have generic versions that aren’t much cheaper than the brand name ones.
There are a few popular pharmacies that have fairly standard costs of EpiPens: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, and Kroger. The average cost of brand name epinephrine injectors at these five pharmacies range from $650 to $735. The cheapest average is $650 at CVS, and the most expensive average is $735 at Walgreens.
The average cost of generic epinephrine injectors at those five pharmacies go from $320 to $530. The cheapest average is $320 at Walmart, and the most expensive average is $530 at Rite Aid.
The range of costs for the generic injectors is much wider than the brand name, but the generic prices are almost always lower than those of the brand name.
EpiPen Jrs or other epinephrine injectors with lower doses that are designed for kids will generally cost different amounts than regular EpiPens. At those five pharmacies, the costs of brand name injectors with lower doses range from $650 to $735.
The cheapest is still CVS and the most expensive still Walgreens, and the prices at those two pharmacies are the same no matter the dose. However, at Rite Aid and Walmart, the prices are a few dollars lower.
The costs of generic lower dose injectors range from $340 to $670. The cheapest is at CVS, which is the same cost as the generic regular dose injectors. The most expensive is at Stop&Shop. The cost of the generic lower dose injector is lower than the regular dose at Walgreens, but it is actually equal or higher at every other pharmacy.
Cost of an EpiPen by Pharmacy
I have included a list of popular pharmacies in the United States that offer generic and brand name Epinephrine auto-injectors. Epinephrine auto-injectors usually come in a pack of 2, containing 0.3 mg of epinephrine. This dose is for patients who weigh 66 pounds or more.
Pharmacy | Cost of Epinephrine auto-injectors (Generic) | Cost of EpiPen (Brand Name) |
---|---|---|
Walmart | $320 | $684 |
CVS | $340 | $650 |
Target | $340 | $691 |
Duane Reade | $341 | $696 |
Walgreens | $341 | $735 |
Kroger | $389 | $730 |
Wegmans | $418 | $696 |
Costco | $446 | $705 |
Albertsons | $500 | $691 |
Rite Aid | $530 | $696 |
Stop&Shop | $662 | $696 |
Cost of an EpiPen Jr by Pharmacy
The EpiPen Junior contains 0.15 mg of epinephrine. This dose is for patients who weigh about 33 to 66 pounds.
The cost of epinephrine injectors for children are actually not too different from the costs of injectors for adults. Some pharmacies even tend to have more expensive injectors for children, though it is only a few dollars more on average.
Pharmacy | Cost of Epinephrine auto-injector Junior (Generic) | Cost of EpiPen Junior (Brand Name) |
---|---|---|
CVS | $340 | $650 |
Target | $340 | $650 |
Duane Reade | $347 | $689 |
Walgreens | $347 | $735 |
Walmart | $355 | $685 |
Wegmans | $360 | $690 |
Costco | $376 | $698 |
Rite Aid | $481 | $689 |
Albertsons | $494 | $698 |
Kroger | $568 | $730 |
Stop&Shop | $670 | $690 |
Name Brand vs Generic
Brand name medicines tend to be more expensive than generic medicines. This is also the case with EpiPens. The generic epinephrine injectors tend to be about half the price of the brand name ones. There aren’t nearly as many differences between the brand name and generic medications as many people believe that there are.
Many people believe that brand name drugs are more effective or safer than generic ones. However, generic brands have the same active ingredients, qualities, dosages, strengths, and administrations.
The main difference is that generic brands don’t need to cost as much because the manufacturers didn’t need to conduct tests, but instead used the tests performed by the brand name manufacturers. Generic brands are just as safe and effective as brand name drugs. In fact, they are made in the exact same way as the brand name drugs.
There are a couple of reasons why you might want to use a brand name epinephrine injector instead of a generic one. Sometimes there just won’t be a generic one available in your area. Your local pharmacy may not stock generic epinephrine injectors. If a brand name epinephrine injector is your only option, you obviously need to go with that option.
Some people just don’t react well to the generic injectors. This has less to do with the medicine itself and more with the administration. If switching to a generic brand may cause a bad reaction, though this is rare.
If you do have problems with the generic medication, you should stick to the brand name so you don’t have the same reaction again. However, chances are that you won’t react any differently and the generic injector will work exactly the same as a brand name one.
Doctors will often prescribe a brand name epinephrine injector. You may want to ask them to prescribe a generic injector instead. If you need to use a brand name injector, your insurance may not cover it. Insurance companies tend to prefer that you purchase the generic brands because it costs them less money.
Is an EpiPen Covered by Insurance?
Since EpiPens cost a lot of money, it would be nice to have someone help take some of that financial burden, such as your insurance provider. Your insurance policy will often cover some or all of the cost of certain prescription drugs.
Insurance policies will typically cover some of the cost of epinephrine injectors, but usually will only cover the generic kind. Some will also cover the EpiPen brand of epinephrine injectors, but most just cover generic epinephrine injectors.
Medicare can also cover epinephrine injectors, but only in Part; the cost will vary depending on the insurance plan that you have and the costs of EpiPens at the pharmacy you use.
If you are choosing an insurance policy and are going to need to buy EpiPens, you should definitely check to see which of the policies you are considering covers EpiPens.
You can also use savings cards or online coupons to find deals that will decrease the cost of EpiPens. If you use your EpiPen, you may also have the option of getting it refilled instead of replacing it, which will cost less.
Epinephrine injectors end up costing a lot of money, so it is a good idea to figure out ways to defray the cost you will have to pay.
No Insurance?
When it comes to your healthcare, most people think that their only options are to pay for expensive Health Insurance or try out your luck being uninsured.
The great news is that you have a third option; You can join a Health Share plan that is affordable and meets your needs! Health Sharing programs are one of the most effective and affordable alternatives to Health Insurance.
If you don’t know what a Health Share is, you can start here to learn how it works and why it’s a great alternative to health insurance. If you are looking for affordable healthcare, I highly recommend checking out my article about the Best Health Share Plans.
Mattheus silva says
My kids need for allergies