Key takeaways:
Epogen (epoetin alfa) is an injectable medication that treats anemia (low red blood cells). Without insurance, 1 vial of Epogen costs between $50.94 and $568.06 on average.
Most insurance plans cover Epogen, but you may need prior authorization in some cases. You may be able to save on the cost of Epogen by switching to a biosimilar or using your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) funds.
You’ll typically only be able to fill Epogen through a specialty pharmacy. If you’re receiving Epogen in a hospital setting, it may be covered by your medical benefit instead of your pharmacy benefit.
Save on related medications
Epogen (epoetin alfa) is an injectable medication that treats anemia (low red blood cells) caused by chronic kidney disease, chemotherapy, and more. It’s also used to reduce the need for blood transfusions in certain people undergoing surgery.
Epogen is a biologic medication, which means it’s made using living systems. You’ll typically receive it as an injection in a medical setting.
It’s common to wonder how much Epogen may cost without insurance coverage. Here, we’ll cover how much Epogen costs, how likely insurance is to cover it, and ways you can save on this medication.
How much does Epogen cost?
Epogen comes in single-dose vials in doses ranging from 2,000 units/mL to 10,000 units/mL. It also comes in multi-dose vials that contain 10,000 units/mL or 20,000 units/mL. It’s administered as a subcutaneous (under the skin) or IV injection.
Epogen dosages are typically based on body weight. Most people will receive 50 to 150 units per kilogram of body weight 3 times a week, until red blood cell levels rise. But this can vary based on the cause of the anemia.
The table below shows the average retail cost for 1 vial of the different available doses of Epogen.
Epogen vial | Average cash price |
|---|---|
2,000 units/mL | |
3,000 units/mL | |
4,000 units/mL | |
10,000 units/mL | |
10,000 units/mL (multi-dose vial) | |
20,000 units/mL (multi-dose vial) |
What factors affect the cost of Epogen?
Several factors can affect the cost of Epogen. These factors can vary depending on whether or not you have prescription insurance coverage, how the medication is covered, and where you receive it.
Factors affecting cost with insurance
If you have insurance coverage, the cost of Epogen may depend on what tier it’s listed in on your formulary. Most insurance plans have tiers, or levels, within their formulary. Lower-tier medications typically have a lower copay, while higher-tier medications typically have a higher copay.
Keep in mind that since Epogen is often administered in a hospital setting, it may be covered by your medical benefit instead of your pharmacy benefit. If you have Medicare, it’s typically covered under Part B (medical benefit), rather than Part D (prescription benefit). This can also play a role in the cost.
Factors affecting cost with or without insurance
Other factors that can affect Epogen’s cost both with or without insurance include:
Dosage and health condition: What you pay for Epogen may depend on what dosage you’re prescribed, and what condition you’re treating. Your dosage may also change over time, depending on how you respond to treatment.
Quantity: The more doses of Epogen you purchase at one time, the higher your total cost will be.
Brand name vs. biosimilar: Biologics like Epogen don’t have generic versions the way most traditional medications do. Instead, they have biosimilar versions. These are considered highly similar to the reference (brand-name) medication, but are often available at a lower cost. Some insurance plans may prefer one version over another.
Factors affecting cost without insurance
In addition to the above list, other factors can affect the price of Epogen without insurance, such as:
Location: Where you live plays a role in how much your medications cost. For instance, prescription medication prices are generally lower in Tampa, Florida, than in New York City. Whether you fill Epogen at a specialty pharmacy or receive it while you're admitted to the hospital can also affect the cost.
Pharmacy: Epogen is typically filled at specialty pharmacies. But which pharmacy you choose can play a role in the cash price. Talk to your healthcare team or use the GoodRx price tool to help you compare prices at different pharmacies.
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Does insurance cover Epogen?
Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid plans, cover Epogen. But in some cases, you’ll need prior authorization in order to get Epogen covered by your insurance. To get prior authorization, your prescriber will need to submit medical information to your insurance company showing that Epogen is an appropriate treatment for you.
It isn’t common, but your insurance may require you to do step therapy. In this case, you’ll have to try lower-cost treatments or explain why they aren’t an option for you before your insurance will cover Epogen.
If you have insurance, you can review your plan’s formulary (list of covered medications) to see if Epogen is covered. You can also call the customer service number on the back of your prescription insurance card for help with questions about your coverage and any extra requirements.
How different insurance plans cover Epogen
The following chart shows how frequently different types of insurance cover Epogen for enrollees. It also shows how likely it is that they require prior authorization or step therapy.
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Epogen | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
72.1% | 64.8% | 31.5% | |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 48.5%-53.9% | 37.1%-42.5% | 11.7%-17% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 99.2% | 68% | 10.5% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of September 11, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Ways to save on Epogen
There are ways to save on the cost of Epogen. Keep in mind that these typically only apply if you’re filling Epogen at a pharmacy. If you’re receiving Epogen in a medical setting, speak to your hospital care team if you have concerns about the cost of your treatments.
Some options to consider are:
Save with a biosimilar. Retacrit (epoetin alfa-epbx) is an FDA-approved Epogen biosimilar. Biosimilars are products that have similar safety and efficacy as their reference biologic. And they’re often available at a lower cost.
Tap into your HSA or FSA. You may be able to use the funds in your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for prescription medications. This can help you save money, since these are pretax funds.
The bottom line
Epogen (epoetin alfa) is an injectable medication that treats anemia (low red blood cells) caused by chronic kidney disease, chemotherapy, and more. Without insurance, 1 vial of Epogen costs between $50.94 and $568.06 on average.
Most insurance plans cover Epogen, but you may need prior authorization in some cases. You may be able to save on the cost of Epogen by switching to a biosimilar or by using your HSA or FSA funds.
You’ll typically only be able to fill Epogen through a specialty pharmacy. If you’re receiving Epogen in a medical setting, it may be covered by your medical benefit instead of your pharmacy benefit.
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 September 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
Amgen. (2024). Epogen - epoetin alfa solution [package insert].
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
