Januvia is a prescription medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Because of its price, people often want to know how they can save money on their Januvia prescriptions.
Januvia can be used by itself or with other medicines. It is typically prescribed along with recommendations for diet and lifestyle modifications.
Januvia is a brand-name medication that comes in the form of tablets you swallow. The typical dosage is 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg. It works by keeping your insulin levels stable and reducing the amount of blood sugar your body produces.
Januvia Cost
Unfortunately, Januvia is quite expensive. This brand-name drug has no generic version available.
The average retail cost for a 30-day supply is about $633.53 (pricing as of June 2022). This makes the drug unaffordable for many people.
There are some similar drugs available, but your doctor may want you to take Januvia specifically. If that is the case, don’t despair! There are methods you can employ to make Januvia more affordable.
How to Save Money on Januvia
1. Patient Assistance Programs
Pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs to help their patients afford their medications.
Merck is the company that makes Januvia and they do offer a patient assistance program. If you qualify for this program, you may be able to get Januvia for a reduced price or even for free.
Unfortunately, finding out about these programs and applying to them is not always simple. It can require a lot of paperwork and phone calls.
2. 30-Day Trial
Yes, you can qualify for a 30-day trial of Januvia. Vouchers are available through Januvia directly, or your doctor may have them as well.
Some terms and conditions apply to the company’s 30-day trial offer. They include:
- The patient is responsible for the first $5 of the cost of the prescription.
- The coupon is only valid for $150 off the patient’s out-of-pocket cost.
- They may be used once every 30 days and must be used before they expire.
- They are not transferable.
- Patients must have private health insurance to qualify for the coupon. It is not valid for patients on Medicaid, Medicare, or other government-sponsored health insurance.
Januvia states that the expiration date for coupons is either 9/30/22 or the date a generic drug is approved by the FDA.
3. Purchase Januvia Online
Perhaps you have always relied upon your neighborhood pharmacy for your medications. If you need to save money on your Januvia prescription, consider having it filled out online instead.
Several internet pharmacies may be able to offer you a better price than your current pharmacy. You may even be able to purchase your medication online and then pick it up locally. But most people opt to simply have it shipped to them directly.
It is wise to make sure that the internet pharmacy you are working with is legitimate before you make a purchase. There have been instances where these companies sold fake medications to their customers.
Every safe pharmacy should be listed with the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Program (VIPPS). It’s a good idea to make sure the company you want to purchase from is verified through them.
4. Januvia Copay Cards and Rebates
There are several options available for co-pay cards that can help you save on Januvia. Some patients will only pay $5 when they use some of the cards that are available online.
In general, copay cards are for patients that have private health insurance to cover the majority of the medication’s cost. You could save an estimated $2,000 per year with this option.
For patients that do not have private health insurance, rebates may be available through Januvia directly.
5. Free Samples
Pharmaceutical companies like Merck have representatives that visit doctors’ offices often. When they visit, they typically leave samples of brand-name medications.
Samples of Januvia are offered for various reasons. Sometimes a doctor may want to try a patient on a particular medication to see if it is a good fit. But they can also continue offering samples to some patients who need help paying for their medicine each month.
Your doctor may only have a limited number of samples. But you can ask them to see if enough is available to cover the amount that you need.
6. Prescription Discount Cards
You may be able to find prescription discounts for Januvia online with a simple Google search. Several websites offer them, but keep in mind that they are probably not a good long-term solution.
Some Januvia discount cards may only be valid for use one time. It may also be challenging to find one that has not expired.
7. Use Your HSA or FSA
If you have a health spending account or a flexible spending account, you can use those funds to help cover the cost of your Januvia prescription.
People often forget they even have these accounts. But if your employer is depositing money into them every time you get paid, that money is available for this purpose. We highly recommend talking with your company’s human resource department if you are not sure how to access it.
8. Pharmacy Savings Programs
Your local pharmacy may have its own savings program to help cover the cost of brand-name medications like Januvia.
Some pharmacies can assist you by reducing the cost of your medicine long-term. For example, they may allow you to get three refills for the price of two.
If you are over the age of 65, some pharmacies have savings just for people in your age group.
9. Opt for a 90-Day Prescription, if Possible
It might seem strange, but in some cases, getting a 90-day prescription filled may be cheaper than getting a 30-day prescription filled.
Of course, your doctor will have to agree to prescribe that much medication to you at one time. But because Januvia is non-habit forming, most of them will agree if it means it will make it more affordable for you.
10. Talk with Your Doctor About an Alternative Diabetes Medication
Januvia might be the medication your doctor would prefer for you to take. But if it is not affordable for you, it may be necessary to explore other options.
There are several diabetes medications on the market that may work just as well, and that may be less expensive. These include:
Generic medications may be available as well.
11. Take Half of a Higher Dose
Finally, you could talk with your doctor about taking only half of a higher dose of Januvia. This is not ideal, and your doctor may not see this as a good strategy to help you save money. But, it is an option that you could talk to them about.
Most insurance plans have priced all strengths of Januvia the same. So if your doctor is OK with this approach, it could cut the cost of your medication in half each month. However, your insurance may limit the quantity per month to prevent you from doing this.
Save Money on Januvia with The Rx Advocates
At The Rx Advocates, we completely understand the challenges of affording your prescription medications. If your doctor has prescribed Januvia, they have a good reason. This medication has shown to be highly effective at treating type 2 diabetes in most patients.
But it does come with a high cost. And even if you are able to get short-term savings, what you need is a way to save in the long term. Many patients prescribed this medication may need to be on it for the rest of their lives.
At The Rx Advocates, we are a patient advocacy program that helps patients with long-term savings. We work with patient assistance programs on our patients’ behalf. Our experience has allowed us to streamline the process of getting approved.
Januvia may be the perfect medication to treat your type 2 diabetes. Contact us today and we will check your eligibility for our program. We could save you a substantial amount of money both short and long-term.
