Bipolar Disorder

How to Save Money on Atypical Antipsychotics for Bipolar 1 Disorder

A psychiatrist shares tips on how to make these common medications more affordable.

Written by Marisa Taylor Karas | Reviewed by Christina Aungst, PharmD

Updated on January 9, 2025

Featuring Joshua Berman, MDReviewed by Christina Aungst, PharmD | December 12, 2024

If you’ve been diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder, a mental health condition that can cause episodes of depression and mania, your care team may have prescribed atypical antipsychotics.

These medications, which are also called second-generation antipsychotics, include cariprazine (Vraylar), quetiapine (Seroquel), aripiprazole (Abilify), risperidone (Risperdal), lurasidone (Latuda), and more.

But what should you do if atypical antipsychotics are out of your budget?

“We really want our patients to have treatment plans that they can carry out,” explains Joshua Berman, MD, Psychiatrist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “If we can’t carry out the treatment plan, it’s not going to work, and we really want you to get better and stay better.”

Tips to save money on your prescription

Berman offers the following suggestions to make atypical antipsychotics more affordable.

Some atypical antipsychotics are available as generics, which usually cost less than brand-name medications.
Brand-name manufacturers may offer copay savings programs to help lower the amount you pay at the pharmacy.
Seek out nonprofit organizations that may be able to help lower costs.
Ask your doctor about patient assistance programs, which provide medications at low or no cost.
Check for coupons and discounts online.

Tips to get insurance coverage for your medication

If you have insurance, it may help you save money on your medication. If your insurance company initially rejects coverage of your prescribed atypical antipsychotic, your doctor may be able to make an appeal to your insurance company.

If you’ve already started taking a certain medication, it may be easier to make an appeal to the insurance company to authorize it.

Talking to your care team about medication costs

Don’t be embarrassed to talk to your care team about financial challenges for the treatment of bipolar 1 disorder.

Bipolar Disorder medicationsCompare prices and information on the most popular Bipolar Disorder medications.

Lamictal
Lamotrigine
$9.00Lowest price
Save now
Seroquel
Quetiapine
$9.00Lowest price
Save now
Abilify
Aripiprazole
$16.96Lowest price
Save now

Compare all medications

“If there [are] barriers [to your treatment], we want to know about them, so that we can work with you to do something about those barriers,” says Dr. Berman.

References

Abbvie. (2024). VRAYLAR (cariprazine) cost & savings.

MedlinePlus. (2022). How to save money on medicines.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.