How Much Is Methylprednisolone Without Insurance?
Key takeaways:
Methylprednisolone is a generic corticosteroid that is also available as brand-name Medrol. The amount you will pay for the medication depends on your prescribed dosage, the pharmacy, and other factors.
Inflammation is your body’s natural way of fighting infections and other threats, but this can become an issue when it’s excessive or out of control. Methylprednisolone helps reduce inflammation in the body.
Without insurance, the average retail cost of a dose pack (21 tablets) of methylprednisolone 4 mg is about $18.39.
Access savings on related medications
Table of contents
Inflammation is part of your body’s natural defense system. When your immune system perceives a threat in the body, such as an infection or toxic substance, it can release substances in the bloodstream and send white blood cells to the affected area to bring about healing.
But sometimes inflammation can get excessive or out of control. Inflammation also can be caused by conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and allergies, as well as some forms of cancer.
In such cases, medication may be prescribed to relieve some of the inflammation. Methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid, is one such potential treatment.
Methylprednisolone basics
Methylprednisolone is a corticosteroid that helps lessen inflammation and swelling. It’s the generic version of the brand-name corticosteroid Medrol. Methylprednisolone comes as an oral tablet and an injectable medication administered by a healthcare professional.
The chart below provides a summary of basic information about the tablet form of methylprednisolone.
Methylprednisolone Basics
| Generic name | Methylprednisolone |
| Brand name | Medrol |
| Dose | The generic tablets are available in 4 mg, 8 mg, 16 mg, and 32 mg doses. A 2 mg dose is available as brand-name Medrol. The prepackaged dose packs are 4 mg.The recommended dosage ranges from 4 mg to 48 mg per day depending on the condition being treated. |
| FDA-approved uses |
|
| Benefits |
|
| Possible side effects (which vary for short- and long-term use) |
|
Is methylprednisolone covered by insurance?
Most health insurance plans cover generic methylprednisolone. Check your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary to determine whether methylprednisolone is covered.
How insurance covers methylprednisolone
Most health insurance plans covering this medication don’t require enrollees to get a prior authorization or do step therapy, but Medicaid requires prior authorization for 1 in 7 people.
The following chart shows your likelihood of coverage, prior authorization, and step therapy for the dose pack of 4 mg tablets:
Insurance Coverage for Methylprednisolone
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for this medication | Enrollees required to get a prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial (not including plans purchased through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace) | 98.9% | 1.4% | 0% |
99.2% | 0.1% | 0% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 99.7% | 1.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 99.9% | 14.6% | 0% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of November 13, 2024. (See methodology below.)
Side effects you should know about: Most side effects of methylprednisolone should resolve once you stop taking the medication, but some could last for a while.
Interactions to pay attention to: Blood thinners, alcohol, and certain vaccines are among the substances you should be cautious with if you are taking methylprednisolone.
Methylprednisolone vs. dexamethasone: Both methylprednisolone and dexamethasone are available as oral medications to treat conditions involving the immune system. Learn the differences between these treatments.
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
If your insurance doesn’t cover methylprednisolone, here are a few options to try:
Talk to your prescriber about alternatives.
Ask for an exception from your prescription medication formulary. Keep in mind that you may be required to do step therapy or get a prior authorization to be covered.
If you request a formulary exception that is denied, file an appeal with your plan.
Use a GoodRx coupon for potential savings.
Consider changing your prescription medication coverage during your next open enrollment period.
How much does methylprednisolone cost without insurance?
If you don’t have health insurance, what you’ll pay for methylprednisolone will depend on factors such as:
Your prescribed dosage
Your dosage form (tablet or injection)
Whether you’re getting methylprednisolone or brand-name Medrol
The fill amount
Your geographic location
The pharmacy you use
The chart below details the average retail prices for generic methylprednisolone tablets.
Methylprednisolone Costs
Dosage | Average retail price |
1 dose pack (twenty-one 4 mg tablets) | |
4 mg (30 tablets) | |
8 mg (30 tablets) | |
16 mg (30 tablets) | |
32 mg (30 tablets) |
Ways to save on methylprednisolone without insurance
Although methylprednisolone may be affordable even without insurance, there are still ways to save money on this medication.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
With a GoodRx coupon, you may be able to pay a lower price for your methylprednisolone prescription. You may be able to get a dose pack (21 tablets) of methylprednisolone 4 mg for as low as $10.19 with a GoodRx coupon.
Here’s how to get a coupon:
Visit www.goodrx.com, or install the GoodRx app on your mobile device.
Type “Methylprednisolone” in the search field.
Choose the correct quantity and location.
Click or tap on “Search prices” to find prices at pharmacies near you.
Choose to receive your coupon via text or email, or print it out.
Show the coupon at the pharmacy when you pick up your medication. Or present the coupon to your pharmacy staff when you first receive your prescription. This will help prevent delays at the pickup counter.
2. Compare prices at various pharmacies
GoodRx can help you easily compare costs at different pharmacies so that you can find the best methylprednisolone price.
3. Ask your prescriber about alternatives
If you are concerned about the cost of methylprednisolone, talk to your prescriber. There may be another medication that adequately treats your condition and fits your budget. Many corticosteroids are available to choose from.
4. Use tax-advantaged healthcare funds
If you have a health savings account (HSA), a flexible spending account (FSA), or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), using those funds to buy your medication can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings.
The bottom line
Methylprednisolone, a generic version of the brand-name Medrol, is prescribed to help reduce inflammation in the body. Most insurance plans cover methylprednisolone. But if you don’t have insurance, the cost of a methylprednisolone dose pack (twenty-one 4 mg tablets) is about $18.39. You may be able to save money on the medication by comparing pharmacy prices, asking your prescriber about alternative medications, or using a GoodRx coupon.
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 November 2024.
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 the ACA, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Jubilant Cadista Pharmaceuticals. (2024). Methylprednisolone- methylprednisolone tablet [package insert]. DailyMed.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Ocejo, A., et al. (2024). Methylprednisolone. StatPearls.
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