Cost of Arimidex or Femara w/o insurance

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MaryNY
MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
edited June 2014 in Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues

I've been on Tamoxifen since April of last year. Now blood tests indicate I'm probably in menopause, so if the next blood test in September confirms this, oncologist says she wants to consider switching me to an AI. I'm not sure which one or how they typically make that choice. Mostly I hear people here mention Arimidex or Femara (Aromasin not so much) so guessing it will be one of those two.

Anyway, I currently buy health insurance with Rx coverage. Since I only pay $16 for a three month supply of Tamoxifen that made sense until now. I would need to pay an extra $48/month for Rx coverage. My insurance plan renews on August 1, so I'm wondering if I should opt for the plan with Rx. Can any of you tell me how much Femara or Arimidex typically cost without insurance?

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited July 2011

    Mary....Femara was very expensive. They were billing the insurance $465.00 for 30 day supply.

    Femara just became generic. So it must be much more cheaper.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited July 2011

    That is pricey!

    I know that the generic version of Arimidex (anastrozole) became available last year too and kind of answering my own question, I see that Costco sell a 90-day supply of the generic for $55 while the branded version is a whopping $1,254.14 for 90-days.

    Just wondering if people are finding the generic versions to be as good as (or similar with regard to SEs) as the the branded versions.

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited July 2011

    Yes Femara is expensive $450/$500 depending on pharmacy.  Don't know if it's still available but Novartis the makers of Femara had a coupon I have only been paying $10.00 using my coupon it was $45.00 without coupon and with Rx coverage.  Femara has just gone generic not all pharmacies have it but it is out there.

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited July 2011

    Mary, Walgreens gave me the generic Femara two months ago I didn't notice any difference, I made them switch me to the "real" cause for me it's cheaper, at least until my coupon runs out.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited July 2011

    Thanks hbcherly. Good to hear about the Femara coupon. Did the coupon come from your doctor or directly from Novartis?

    So if I'm switched to an Femara/Arimidex and can get the generic version (or Femara w coupon) the cost isn't so high that it would merit paying extra for Rx coverage.

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited July 2011

    Hi Mary,  I went and looked for the Femara coupon but couldn't find it, probably stopped as the generic is now available.  I was just at Costco and I checked with the pharmacy there and a 3 month supply of Letrozole (which is the generic Femara) is $27.58 without insurance.  If you don't have a costco near you check Wal-Mart or Target and ask the price or go on to Costco.com and link to the pharmacy section and just put in what you're looking for and the cost pops up and you can mail order from them.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited July 2011

    Thanks hbcheryl: yes, Costco.com lists letrozole for $27.09 (90-day).

    How are you doing on the Femara?

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited July 2011

    Mary I do absolutely fine on the Femara, not to say I don't have a few issues.  The main thing for me is hand swelling / wrist pain BUT I work with my hands I have a mailing business so I'm stuffing envelopes or typing and I do a lot of repetitive movement all day long and like my GP says, what's to say that even without the Femara you may have had these symptoms and they are not unmanageable and they come and go, sometimes it's my right hand sometimes my left.  The swelling is usually when I wake up in the morning and is relieved by warm water and some stretching exercise I also take glucosamine and that helps.  I had read all the negatives and was terrified when I took my first one but nothing happened.  Good luck to you.

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