Key takeaways:
Biktarvy — a combination of the antiretrovirals bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide — is a prescription-only medication that’s FDA approved to treat HIV.
Biktarvy is a brand-name medication that can be costly, with a list price of more than $4,000 per month. Without insurance, a 30-day supply of Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablets costs an average of $5122.11.
You could reduce the cost of Biktarvy with a manufacturer copay savings card or through a patient assistance program if you qualify. You may also be able to save money by using a GoodRx coupon.
Save on related medications
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is now considered a manageable chronic condition. Though there is no HIV vaccine or cure, medications can prevent the virus from progressing to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). With antiretroviral therapy (ART), people with HIV can live long, healthy lives and achieve an undetectable viral load — which means they can’t transmit the virus through sex. Though, these treatments can be costly.
Biktarvy (bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide), a first-choice HIV medication, is an ART combination treatment. The once-daily tablet is FDA approved for people with HIV who are starting, switching, or restarting treatment. Biktarvy is a brand-name medication; there’s no generic option available.
Biktarvy is not a cure for HIV. It’s also not pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) — medication that can help people at higher risk for HIV reduce their chances of contracting it.
How much does Biktarvy cost?
The manufacturer’s list price for a 30-day supply of Biktarvy was $4,216 as of January 1, 2025. While you may not pay that amount at the pharmacy — even without insurance or discounts — it illustrates the medication’s significant price tag.
Here are some average retail prices for Biktarvy.
Biktarvy Costs
Brand-name dose and quantity | Average retail price |
30 mg/120 mg/15 mg, 30 tablets | |
50 mg/200 mg/25 mg, 30 tablets |
What factors affect the cost of Biktarvy?
Without insurance, what you’ll pay for Biktarvy depends on several factors, including your:
Pharmacy: Pharmacies can set their own prices for medications.
Location: Medications can vary in cost based on the geographic area where they’re filled.
Fill quantity: Medications can be less costly in the long run when purchased beyond a monthly supply.
Does insurance cover Biktarvy?
Almost every health insurance plan covers Biktarvy. If you have insurance, review your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary (list of covered medications) to determine whether Biktarvy is covered. If not, contact your plan and ask about your coverage options. You can also discuss alternatives with your prescriber or pharmacist.
To get coverage for Biktarvy, a small number of health insurance plans require enrollees to get prior authorization. Less than 1% of Medicaid plans and commercial plans not purchased through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace require enrollees to do step therapy (try other medications first).
How different insurance plans cover Biktarvy
The following chart shows the likelihood of having coverage for Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablets with different types of insurance plans. The likelihood of needing to obtain prior authorization or complete step therapy is also shown.
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablets | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
99.2% | 0% | 0% | |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 98.6% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
Medicare (original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans) | 100% | 0% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 100% | 1.7% | 0.5% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of August 8, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
While you’ll likely have affordable out-of-pocket costs if your insurance covers Biktarvy, that might not be the case if you don't have insurance or if your plan is one of the few that does not cover the medication. If your insurance doesn’t cover Biktarvy, you still have options:
Use a GoodRx coupon to potentially save on your prescription.
Ask your prescriber about less costly options that may meet your needs. This could mean switching to another brand-name medication that costs less or a medication that has a generic option available. (Biktarvy isn’t available in a generic form.)
Request a formulary exception from your insurance company. If your request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal with your plan.
When it’s time for open enrollment, compare health insurance plans to find one that provides coverage for your medications.
When to start HIV medication: It’s best to begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after diagnosis to prevent other infections, work toward lessening side effects, and lower transmission risk.
Biktarvy vs. Dovato: These HIV treatments are ART combination pills taken once daily, but they have differences that are important to know about.
Understanding HIV transmission: ART can reduce the amount HIV in your system to make your viral load undetectable. This means you can’t pass the virus to others through sex.
Ways to save on Biktarvy
Whether or not you have insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost of Biktarvy. Here are four options.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
You may be able to use a free GoodRx coupon to lower the price of your Biktarvy prescription. For example, you could pay as low as $4120.00 for a 30-day supply of Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablets with a GoodRx coupon at certain pharmacies.
Visit the GoodRx website or download the GoodRx app on your mobile device and use a coupon today. Here’s how:
On the app or website, type “Biktarvy” in the search field.
Choose the desired quantity and dose. Input your ZIP code or address, or select “Use my current location,” so you see results for local pharmacies.
Choose how to receive your coupon. You may want it emailed or texted to you, or you may want to print it out.
Take your coupon with you to the pharmacy. Present the coupon to the pharmacy’s staff early in the filling process to help avoid delays at the pickup counter.
2. See if you qualify for a copay savings card
If you have commercial insurance, you may be able to benefit from a manufacturer copay savings card. If you are eligible for the Gilead Advancing Access copay coupon, it may be possible to get Biktarvy at no cost. Through the copay savings program, you can receive up to $7,200 in cost-sharing assistance in a calendar year, though there are no monthly limits on how much you can save.
People with Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and other government-sponsored insurance plans don’t qualify for this copay savings program.
3. Check if you’re eligible for a patient assistance program
Gilead Advancing Access also sponsors two assistance programs that provide free HIV medications to people who meet eligibility requirements: a patient assistance program (PAP) and a medication access program (MAP). To qualify, you must be a resident of a U.S. state or territory and demonstrate financial need. Enrollment in each program lasts for 12 months with an option to renew if you’re still eligible. By 2026, free medications will be sent by mail to participants.
You may also be able to get help through an independent PAP. Here are some options:
The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation offers grants to pay treatment costs for people who have a demonstrated need for financial support. The PAN Foundation has an HIV treatment and prevention fund, which can help with Biktarvy costs. Once approved, you may also qualify for a transportation grant. At publication time, the fund is closed, but you can join the waitlist.
The Patient Advocate Foundation’s Co-Pay Relief program has an HIV, AIDS, and Prevention Fund that can assist with insurance premiums as well as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance for people who meet income and other requirements. The maximum award is $5,000 a year. At publication time, the fund was open for applications.
Good Days has an HIV, AIDS Treatment & Prevention program that includes assistance for people taking Biktarvy. You must meet income requirements and your insurance must cover at least half of your medication’s cost. Up to $2,000 in assistance is available per year and the fund was open at the time of publication. You can re-enroll for potential help the next year.
4. Tap into your HSA, FSA, or HRA
Consider using a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to pay for your medication. These accounts have multiple tax benefits when the funds are used for qualified healthcare expenses. This can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings. But be sure to review your account’s contribution limits, rollover limits, and eligible expenses.
The bottom line
Biktarvy (bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide) is an antiretroviral therapy (ART) used to manage HIV. Taken once a day, the tablet lowers the amount of HIV in the blood and can make the virus undetectable.
Biktarvy’s list price is more than $4,000 a month. Without insurance or discounts, the average price of a 30-day supply of Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablets is $5122.11, but you could pay as little as $4120.00 with a GoodRx coupon at select pharmacies.
If you have commercial insurance, you may be able to drop your copay to $0 through the manufacturer’s copay savings program. If you don't have insurance, you may be eligible for financial help through the manufacturer’s patient assistance program or medication access program, as well as other aid opportunities.
Why trust our experts?
Methodology
We obtained national prescription coverage data for each medication from Managed Markets Insight & Technology (MMIT). The data reflects health insurance coverage as of August 2025.
We calculated the percentage of enrollees in plans that cover each medication by dividing the number of enrollees covered for the medication within a specific insurance channel (e.g., ACA, Medicare, Medicaid) by the total number of enrollees in all plans within that channel.
We determined the percentage of enrollees in plans with a prior authorization requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that required prior authorization for the medication within each channel.
Finally, we measured the percentage of enrollees in plans with a step therapy requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that imposed step therapy requirements for the medication in each channel.
These estimates, derived from national MMIT coverage data, provide insight into health insurance coverage for each medication. They take into account restrictions such as prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits. The percentages are expressed relative to the total number of enrollees covered by various insurance channels, including ACA plans, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Biktarvy. (2023). Biktarvy cost information. Gilead.
Biktarvy. (2025). Ready to begin again with Biktarvy? Gilead.
Gilead Advancing Access. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions. Gilead.
Gilead Advancing Access. (n.d.). Getting started with Advancing Access. Gilead.
Gilead Advancing Access. (n.d.). The Gilead Advancing Access co-pay savings program. Gilead.
Good Days. (n.d.). HIV, AIDS treatment and prevention.
Good Days. (n.d.). Re-enrollment.
Medicaid.org. (n.d.). Managed care.
Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents. (2025). Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in adults and adolescents with HIV. Department of Health and Human Services.
Patient Access Network Foundation. (n.d.). HIV treatment and prevention.
Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief. (n.d.). HIV, AIDS and prevention.
Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief. (n.d.). Patients and family.
