If you’re looking to try viagra to treat your erectile dysfunction (ED), you might be surprised at how much of a dent this little blue pill can make in your wallet. considering that erectile dysfunction is a medical condition with far-reaching impacts on your health and quality of life, you might think for a fact that viagra (and other erectile dysfunction drugs that work similarly) would be covered by insurance . unfortunately, that is not always the case.
The good news is that even if your insurer doesn’t cover viagra, there are more affordable options available.
will my insurance cover viagra?
As with any drug, treatment, or diagnostic test, each health insurance plan has different policies about what they will and will not cover. Many insurance companies have a list of drugs they will cover under different plans available on their websites.
for example, some large group plans under blue cross blue shield appear to cover a portion of the cost of viagra, as well as other phosphodiesterase-5 (pde5) inhibitors (the class of drugs that viagra is a part of), such as cialis and levitra (blue cross blue shield, 2021). Cigna also appears to cover these drugs in some of its plans (Cigna, 2021).
Regardless of what insurance plan you have, it’s important to call your insurance provider to verify what medications will be covered and under what circumstances. may have certain requirements for prior authorization (when someone from the insurance company will need to review your health care provider’s prescription before authorizing coverage). or they may limit the amount you can get at one time and the number of top-ups available. you’ll also need to find out about any copays.
viagra is not the only drug available to treat erectile dysfunction. When you call your insurance provider to check, be sure to also ask about insurance coverage for any of the following medications (if viagra is not covered):
- sildenafil citrate (this is the active ingredient in viagra; see important safety information)
- cialis (or its generic counterpart, tadalafil; see important safety information)
- levitra (vardenafil)
- tendra (avanafil)
If your insurance provider covers certain drugs but not others, talk to your health care provider to see if switching to a covered drug makes sense for you. your insurance provider may also offer different coverage for different doses or uses. For example, cialis is available in two forms: as needed (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg) or daily (2.5 mg and 5 mg) (Brock, 2016). your insurance may cover one but not the other.
If your insurance covers any of these drugs, you may still need to pay a copay, or coverage may only kick in after you meet your deductible. each plan is different.
how much does viagra cost out of pocket?
If your insurance plan doesn’t cover viagra, your out-of-pocket drug costs can be quite high. can cost up to $2,000 for 30 pills of a 100-mg dose (goodrx-a). however, each pharmacy offers its own rates, so it’s worth shopping around.
The cash price of cialis varies widely depending on the dose. For the lowest dose (2.5 mg), Cialis typically costs around $350 for 30 pills, while the highest dose (20 mg) can cost upwards of $2,000 (GoodRX-B).
the average retail price of levitra is around $1700 in all doses for 30 pills (goodrx-c).
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Finally, stendra, which is a less commonly prescribed medication for erectile dysfunction, costs about $1600 out of pocket (goodrx-d).
However, don’t be put off by those high prices! more affordable options are available.
cheaper alternatives to viagra, cialis and levitra
Although there is currently no generic version of stendra available (it is still under patent, so only the brand name is available at this time), there are cheaper versions of the other three pde5 inhibitors on the market.
cheaper alternatives to viagra
There are two cheaper versions of sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient in viagra) available: generic viagra and generic revatio (see important safety information).
generic viagra is similar to viagra and comes in the same dosages.
Revatio is a medication approved by the FDA to treat a specific type of high blood pressure in the lungs (Croom, 2008).
It may seem confusing, but revatio has the same active ingredient as viagra. the difference is that it comes in different strengths. While Viagra comes in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets, Revatio comes in 20mg tablets. Some health care providers prescribe generic Revatio in 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, or 100 mg doses to treat erectile dysfunction. however, this is considered off-label prescription since revatio, and its generic form is not specifically approved by the fda for ed.
generic revatio is a much cheaper alternative to viagra, available for as little as $10 for 30 doses of 100 mg (depending on pharmacy) (goodrx-e).
cheaper alternatives to cialis
The active ingredient in cialis is tadalafil, which is a longer-acting medication than sildenafil citrate (meaning it lasts longer in the body), but it is just as effective (gong, 2017). you can get tadalafil for around $20 for 30 doses (with minimal variation with different doses) (goodrx-f). And of course it depends on which pharmacy you use.
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cheaper alternatives to levitra
Levitra is the brand name for vardenafil, which is another pde5 inhibitor that treats erectile dysfunction in a similar way to sildenafil citrate and tadalafil (morales, 2009). Vardenafil is slightly cheaper than brand-name levitra, but it is still relatively expensive, averaging about $250 for 30 doses (goodrx-c).
is viagra covered by medicare or medicaid?
If you have a medicare or medicaid plan, you will need to refer to your specific plan’s benefits for prescription drug coverage information. In general, one of the generic versions (sildenafil citrate, tadalafil, or vardenafil) is more likely to be covered by your Medicaid or Medicare plan than its brand-name counterparts. medicare part d plans are for prescription drug coverage.
how do pde5 inhibitors treat erectile dysfunction?
viagra, cialis, levitra and their generic equivalents are examples of pde5 inhibitors, drugs that treat sexual dysfunction in men. pde5 inhibitors block an enzyme called pde5. this enzyme, when not blocked, breaks down cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cgmp), which is a chemical that causes the blood vessels in the penis to relax. When PDE5 is blocked (with PDE5 inhibitors), cGMP levels increase, leading to better blood flow to the penis. better blood flow to the penis makes erections stronger (huang, 2013).
make the right decision for your budget
All of these medications work in a similar way, with some differences in how long they last in the body and their side effects. Ultimately, the medication you choose will depend on the medical advice of your healthcare professional, as well as what best fits your budget. Call your insurance provider to find out if any of these medications are covered under your plan. if they are not covered, look for the most affordable options offered by different licensed pharmacies.
