How Much Is Symbicort Without Insurance?

Symbicort (budesonide / formoterol) is a brand-name, prescription inhaler that contains two medications: budesonide and formoterol. It is FDA-approved to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

A single Symbicort inhaler contains 120 inhalations. It comes in two doses: 80 mcg/formoterol 4.5 mcg (80/4.5) and budesonide 160 mcg/formoterol 4.5 mcg (160/4.5). The typical Symbicort dosage is 2 inhalation puffs taken twice a day, 12 hours apart. Symbicort is available as a brand-name medication, a generic, and an authorized generic called Breyna.

Your out-of-pocket costs for Symbicort will depend on factors such as your location, what pharmacy you use, and whether you’re taking the brand-name or generic version. You may be able to save money on your Symbicort prescription by using a GoodRx coupon, manufacturer savings card, or patient assistance program.

Promotion disclosure

Symbicort (Budesonide/Formoterol)

Avg retail price

$150.59(Save 42.84%)

GoodRx discount

$86.08

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Use GoodRx to find medications, pharmacies, and discounts.

GoodRx discounts can help you pay less for your prescription.

Bring your free coupon or savings card to the pharmacy.

How much does Symbicort cost?

Without insurance, brand-name Symbicort costs around $339.91 for one 80 mcg/4.5 mcg inhaler (typically a 30-day supply). The price of one generic Symbicort inhaler is around $212.48, and the price of one Breyna inhaler is around $202.46 for the same medication strength. 

The table below shows what you might pay for brand-name or generic versions of Symbicort at some pharmacies: 

Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of October 17, 2024. (See methodology below.) 

What factors affect the cost of Symbicort?

The cost of Symbicort will depend on several factors, such as:

• Location: The price of Symbicort may vary based on your location. According to GoodRx research, medications can often be cheaper in certain cities, such as Houston and Atlanta, while costing more in other cities, such as New York and New Orleans.

• Pharmacy: Prescription prices for Symbicort can fluctuate even between local pharmacies on the same street.

• Insurance: Even if your insurance covers Symbicort, you may still need to pay deductibles, coinsurance, or copays.

• Generic vs. brand-name: The generic versions of Symbicort, including Breyna, are generally more affordable than the brand-name option.

• Dosage: The prescribed strength of your Symbicort medication can impact the cost.

• Assistance program availability: Patient assistance programs (PAPs) can help make Symbicort more affordable, especially if you don’t have insurance or have limited coverage.

• Savings cards and discounts: A manufacturer savings card or a GoodRx coupon may lower your out-of-pocket costs for brand-name and generic Symbicort.

Does insurance cover Symbicort?

Many health insurance plans provide some form of coverage for medications such as Symbicort that treat breathing conditions. The vast majority of people with commercial insurance plans and Medicaid have coverage for brand-name Symbicort. Some Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) plans and Medicare plans also provide coverage. Additionally, some plans may cover the generic versions of Symbicort or similar medications. 

However, some insurers may require prior authorization or step therapy before covering Symbicort. Review your health plan’s summary of benefits coverage and formulary to find out if the generic or brand-name version of Symbicort is covered.

How different insurance plans cover Symbicort

The following tables show your likelihood of coverage, as well as the need for prior authorization and step therapy, with different types of insurance for brand-name Symbicort:

Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of October 17, 2024. (See methodology below.)

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• What side effects should you watch for while on Symbicort? While some side effects, such as headaches or throat pain, are typically mild, some can be more serious.

• Need an alternative to Symbicort? If Symbicort isn’t right for you, here are six of the next best comparable options. 

• Need to save money on asthma inhalers? GoodRx experts guide you on ways to save on more than 25 types of inhalers.

If your insurance doesn’t cover Symbicort, here are some actions you can take:

• Talk to your prescriber about alternative inhalers that may be covered.

• Request a formulary exception from your insurer. If the request is denied, consider filing an appeal for coverage.

• Consider changing insurance plans during open enrollment.

Ways to save on Symbicort

Here are four ways to save on brand-name and generic Symbicort.

1. Use a GoodRx coupon 

A GoodRx coupon could help you save on brand-name and generic Symbicort without insurance.

Here’s how to get a coupon:

• Go to www.goodrx.com or download the GoodRx app on your mobile device.

• Type "Symbicort" in the search bar, and select the brand-name or generic option.

• Click “Find the lowest prices,” or press or click return.

• Select the correct quantity and your location.

• Choose to get your coupon by text or email, or print it out.

• If possible, show the coupon at the pharmacy before they start filling your prescription to avoid delays in processing.

2. Try a copay savings card

If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible for a manufacturer’s savings card from AstraZeneca. With this card, you could pay as little as $35 per prescription for brand-name Symbicort. The Breyna savings card can lower your prescription to $20 and covers up to $30 per 30-day prescription, up to a yearly savings maximum of $360.

3. Look into a patient assistance program

The Viatris Patient Assistance Program (PAP) offers certain medications at no cost for eligible individuals who demonstrate financial need. Currently, Breyna is one of the medications included in this program. 

To qualify, you must:

• Meet certain financial requirements

• Lack prescription medication coverage

• Have a valid prescription from a licensed U.S. prescriber

4. Ask about lower-cost alternatives

There are several medications that work the same way as Symbicort but might cost much less. If the cost of your Symbicort prescription is out of reach, ask your prescriber if more affordable alternatives could work for you. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

DeShena Woodard, BSN, RN

DeShena Woodard, BSN, RN, is a Texas-based registered nurse, freelance writer, financial freedom coach, and certified life coach. Writing about personal finance for more than 3 years, her advice has been featured on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, NerdWallet, Debt.com, GoBankingRates, the Balance, and also on her own website, ExtravagantlyBroke.com.

Edited by:

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA, is a personal finance editor at GoodRx. She has been a certified public accountant for over a decade.

Reviewed by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

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Methodology

We obtained national prescription coverage data for each medication from Managed Markets Insight & Technology (MMIT). The data reflect health insurance coverage as of October 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).