On March 4, manufacturer Eli Lilly released a lower-priced version of the popular insulin, Humalog, and it’s affordable. While brand-name Humalog has a price tag of almost $200 for a 30-day supply, the new generic, insulin lispro, costs as little as $68 each month with a GoodRx coupon.
Unfortunately, some are having trouble getting this new generic. While Eli Lilly claims that insulin lispro is available in 50 states, news outlets are reporting that the insulin is nowhere to be found in some areas, like Arizona in particular.
You should be able to work with your pharmacy to order insulin lispro, but luckily there are ways for you to save on the brand if you’re in a pinch.
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At the moment, there are no other generic insulins on the market, but we do have what are called biosimilars. Without getting too technical, biosimilars are close—but not identical— versions of a biologic. Insulin medications are made out of living cells, so their biosimilars are slightly different and aren’t deemed therapeutically equivalent, or interchangeable, by the FDA. Where the FDA allows generic drugs to go to market without additional research, they require biosimilars to go through deeper regulatory scrutiny before approval. Biologic drugs are also harder and more expensive to manufacture. For more information about biosimilars, see our previous blog post here.
Unfortunately, biosimilars, unlike generic drugs, rarely provide any savings to consumers. You may remember the first insulin biosimilar that was approved in 2015: Basaglar. Basaglar is the “follow on” (or insulin biosimilar) to Sanofi’s Lantus, with the same active ingredient: insulin glargine. When Basaglar was first approved, many were hopeful that it would help bring down insulin prices and reshape insulin insurance coverage. However, prices for Basaglar remain high; current prices are around $234 for a 30-day supply, and few changes have been made to insulin coverage by insurers.
The best way to save on Humalog is to use your insurance. Humalog is covered by most insurance plans, but there is a catch. Most plans require that patients submit a prior authorization form or complete step therapy before they will cover the drug. You can learn more about these restrictions here, but in essence, they make getting your drug more complicated.
If you find that Humalog isn’t covered by your insurance plan, ask your doctor about an appeal. The exact process will depend on your insurance, but often requires that you work with your doctor to submit an appeal letter.
GoodRx offers discounts for Humalog online. A discount may only save you 10% to 15%, which won’t make it affordable for everyone, but every bit helps.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly has a manufacture copay card to help patients save.
Website | https://www.humalog.com/u-200-kwikpen/humalog-savings-card |
Phone number | 1-800-545-5979 |
Savings | Pay as little as $25 per month (with a maximum savings of $100 per month). |
How to get the discount | Answer questions online to download and print a card. |
Restrictions | This program is only for commercially-insured patients. |
There are other insulin options to Humalog. While the cash prices of these alternatives may not be significantly less expensive, depending on your insurance coverage, some might be more affordable.
Lantus (insulin glargine), and its biosimilar Basaglar, which we mentioned above, have been found to be just as safe and effective as Humalog. Lantus and Basaglar are slightly more affordable than Humalog though, with cash prices averaging at $274 and $234 monthly, respectively. They may be even more affordable for you if your insurance covers it. You can read more on how to save on Lantus and Basaglar here.
Like Humalog, Novolog (insulin aspart) is a fast-acting insulin that provides all-day blood sugar control. Novolog can be used by children as young as 2 years old who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The downside with Novolog is that it may cause weight gain. If this happens to you, your doctor may need to adjust your dose.
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