How Much Is Vyleesi Without Insurance?
Key takeaways:
Vyleesi (bremelanotide) is an FDA-approved injectable medication that’s used as needed. It is prescribed to help increase female sex drive.
Vyleesi is often described as a female version of Viagra, but it works differently. Vyleesi activates receptors in the brain that help regulate sexual desire.
Without insurance, one dose of Vyleesi — a 0.3 mL subcutaneous (under the skin) auto-injector — can cost as much as $290. But you may be able to pay as little as $0 through a manufacturer savings program. Since the medication is only available through a designated specialty pharmacy, it is not eligible for a GoodRx discount.
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Table of contents
While romance novels might have you thinking otherwise, many women experience a low sex drive. In fact, low libido, or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), affects 10% of U.S. women. There are many causes of low libido, such as anxiety, physical illness, fatigue, and hormonal changes. Regardless of the reason, the good news is that low libido doesn't have to persist.
Vyleesi (bremelanotide) is a treatment for low female sex drive. The injectable medication is only available through the manufacturer’s designated specialty pharmacy and can be costly. But the manufacturer offers savings for consumers with commercial insurance that can drop your out-of-pocket costs to as low as $0 per dose. If your health insurance plan doesn’t cover Vyleesi or you don’t have insurance, you still may be eligible for savings through the manufacturer.
Vyleesi basics
Vyleesi is a brand-name, injectable medication prescribed to increase female sex drive. This treatment is a melanocortin receptor agonist. And it comes in a carton of 4 auto-injectors. Vyleesi isn’t available as a generic medication at this time.
This as-needed medication is for women who have a low libido, want to increase their interest in sex, and have not entered menopause. It’s designed to be injected under the skin of the thigh or abdomen 45 minutes before sexual activity. But you should not take more than 1 dose in 24 hours or more than 8 doses per a month. Vyleesi works by activating brain receptors that help regulate sexual desire.
The chart below provides a summary of basic information about Vyleesi.
Vyleesi Basics
| Brand name | Vyleesi |
| Form | Subcutaneous auto-injector |
| FDA-approved uses | Treating generalized HSDD in premenopausal women |
| Benefits |
|
| Possible side effects |
|
Is Vyleesi covered by insurance?
At the time of publication, Vyleesi is available only through the manufacturer’s selected specialty pharmacy. For that reason, there isn’t a discount for the medication available through GoodRx.
Many commercial and most Medicaid health insurance plans cover brand-name Vyleesi. This medication is not covered by Medicare plans. And fewer than 20% of plans purchased through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace cover it.
If you have insurance, review your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary (list of covered medications) to determine whether Vyleesi is covered. If it’s not, contact your prescription insurance plan provider and ask about your coverage options. You can also discuss alternatives with your prescriber or a pharmacist.
How insurance covers Vyleesi
The following chart shows the likelihood of having coverage, as well as prior authorization and step therapy requirements, for Vyleesi based on insurance type.
Causes of low libido in women: Your sex drive can change naturally over time, but lower libido can also be the result of stress, hormones, or other causes.
Dealing with a waning sex drive: This guide to low libido in women offers solutions, including medications, therapy, and lifestyle changes.
Viagra for women? Prescription treatments to boost your sex life include libido lifters for premenopausal women and the off-label use of Viagra.
More than half of commercial and Medicaid plans require prior authorization for Vyleesi, but step therapy is required by less than 1% of commercial plans. Although it’s not listed below, Tricare military health insurance covers Vyleesi with limitations.
Insurance Coverage for Vyleesi (1.75 mg/0.3 mL Subcutaneous Auto-injector)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Vyleesi auto-injector | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial plans (not including plans purchased through an ACA marketplace) | 70.7% | 55.7% | 0.3% |
16.1% | 12.9% | 0% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 92.3% | 57.6% | 0% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of February 11, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
If your insurance doesn’t cover Vyleesi, you still have options:
Ask your prescriber about switching to an alternative medication with a lower-cost generic that can address your low libido. Vyleesi is not currently available as a generic medication.
Request a formulary exception from your insurance company. If your request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal.
When it’s time for open enrollment, compare different health insurance plans to find one that provides the coverage you need.
How much does Vyleesi cost without insurance?
If you don't have insurance or your plan doesn’t cover Vyleesi, you may have to pay about $290 per auto-injector. Vyleesi is only available through the manufacturer’s selected specialty pharmacy, which offers different types of discounts based on insurance coverage. The specialty pharmacy also offers free shipping.
Ways to save on Vyleesi without insurance
Vyleesi may be a stretch for your budget. Whether or not you have insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost.
1. Ask your prescriber about alternatives
Vyleesi isn’t the only medication for treating low libido in women. Ask your prescriber about lower-cost options that would adequately treat your condition.
2. Manufacturer savings program
You may be able to save money through Vyleesi’s manufacturer savings program. If you have commercial insurance, you may be able to pay as little as $0 for your prescription. The specialty pharmacy that dispenses Vyleesi may also offer you a discounted price under other circumstances.
3. Use tax-advantaged healthcare funds
Consider using a flexible spending account (FSA), a health savings account (HSA), or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to purchase your medication. Using funds from one of these accounts can result in tax savings. But be sure to review your account’s contribution limits, rollover limits, and eligible expenses to avoid penalties.
The bottom line
Vyleesi (bremelanotide) is a prescription-only injectable medication that treats low libido and can be purchased only through the manufacturer’s designated specialty pharmacy. There isn’t a discount for the medication available through GoodRx.
If you don’t have insurance, one dose of Vyleesi — a 0.3 mL subcutaneous (under the skin) auto-injector — can cost about $290. People with commercial insurance may be able to pay as little as $0 per dose through the manufacturer savings program, which also offers other types of discounts. Other ways to save include using funds from a tax-advantaged healthcare account and asking your healthcare team about lower-cost medications that treat low libido.
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 February 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 the ACA, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Express Scripts. (2025). TRICARE formulary search. Tricare.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
Pesantez, G. S. P., et al. (2021). Treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder among women: General considerations and pharmacological options. Focus.
Pfaus, J. G., et al. (2021). The neurobiology of bremelanotide for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. CNS Spectrums.
Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
Prifti, C., et al. (2024). Update on therapies and treatments in women’s health. Medical Clinics of North America. Elsevier.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019). FDA approves new treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.
Vyleesi. (n.d.). What does Vyleesi cost, and is there help to pay for it? Cosette Pharmaceuticals.
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