How Much Is Winlevi Without Insurance?
Key takeaways:
Winlevi (clascoterone) is a prescription topical skin cream and hormonal medication used to treat acne, including hormonal acne.
Winlevi lessens and regulates the amount of sebum, which is an oily substance your skin creates that is thought to reduce acne. This topical medication is applied to the face twice daily after washing and drying your face.
Without insurance, one 60 g tube of Winlevi 1% topical cream costs an average of $727.55. You could pay as little as $505.79 with a GoodRx coupon at select pharmacies.
Access savings on related medications
Table of contents
Winlevi (clascoterone) is a brand-name topical cream used to treat acne that is available by prescription only. This medication is thought to work by lowering the amount of sebum, an oily substance your skin produces, by interacting with androgen receptors (chemical binding sites) in your skin. This is thought to reduce inflammation and curb acne.
The cost of Winlevi depends on several factors, including the pharmacy where the prescription is filled. If your health insurance doesn’t cover Winlevi, a GoodRx coupon could lower your cost at certain pharmacies. Winlevi has no generic form.
Winlevi basics
The chart below provides a summary of basic information about Winlevi.
Winlevi basics
| Brand name |
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| Form |
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| FDA-approved uses |
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| Possible side effects |
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Is Winlevi covered by insurance?
Some health insurance plans cover brand-name Winlevi. Nearly all Medicaid plans cover this medication, but the likelihood is much lower if you have a commercial plan, including those purchased through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Less than 10% of Medicare plans cover Winlevi.
If you have insurance, review your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary (list of covered medications) to determine whether Winlevi is covered. If not, contact your prescription plan provider and ask about your coverage options. You can also discuss alternatives with your prescriber or a pharmacist.
How insurance covers Winlevi
The following chart shows the likelihood of coverage for Winlevi, based on the type of insurance plan.
Almost all Medicaid plans and more than a quarter of commercial and ACA plans require enrollees to get prior authorization for Winlevi. Enrollees in every kind of plan may be required to do step therapy.
Insurance coverage for Winlevi (60 g of 1% topical cream)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Winlevi, 60 g tube of 1% topical cream | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial plans (not including plans purchased through an ACA marketplace) | 58.7% | 27.5% | 12.2% |
36.7% | 31.7% | 26.4% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 7.3% | 6.8% | 2.5% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 97.3% | 94.5% | 13.1% |
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 Winlevi, you still have options:
Use a GoodRx coupon to save on your prescription.
Request a formulary exception from your insurance company. If your request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal with your plan.
Ask your prescriber about less costly alternatives that meet your needs, including lower-cost generics that correspond to other brand-name medications.
When it’s time for open enrollment, compare different health insurance plans to find one that provides the coverage you need.
Winlevi is distinct from other acne medications: Winlevi is a relatively new acne cream that works differently than other topical medications and can treat hormonal acne.
Winlevi vs. tretinoin: Learn the similarities and differences between these topical acne medications.
Acne treatments based on acne types: Understand which treatments work best for the type of acne you have.
How much does Winlevi cost without insurance?
Without insurance, what you pay for Winlevi depends on several factors, including your:
Specific pharmacy
Geographic location
Fill amount
The following table shows what you might pay for one tube of Winlevi.
Winlevi costs
Winlevi form and dose | Average cash price |
|---|---|
Topical cream, tube (60 g of 1%) |
Ways to save on Winlevi without insurance
Winlevi may be a stretch for your budget. Whether or not you have insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost. Here are four options.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
With a free GoodRx coupon, you could get a lower price for your Winlevi prescription at your pharmacy. To get a coupon, visit www.goodrx.com or download the GoodRx app on your mobile device.
Type “Winlevi” in the search field, and choose the quantity you’ve been prescribed. Make sure the search results show local pharmacies. You can input your zip code or address, or you can select “Use my current location.” Choose how to receive your coupon (printed, emailed, or texted).
Take your coupon with you to the pharmacy. It’s ideal to present the coupon to the pharmacy staff early in the filling process to avoid delays at the pickup counter. You could pay as little as $505.79 for Winlevi with a GoodRx coupon at certain pharmacies.
2. Manufacturer savings
Winlevi’s manufacturer offers two ways to save on your prescription:
By asking your prescriber to send an e-prescription to the manufacturer’s preferred online specialty pharmacy, you could pay $0 to $90 per fill.
If you have commercial insurance, you could pay $20 to $200 per fill using a copay savings card.
3. Compare prices at various pharmacies
GoodRx lets you easily compare Winlevi costs at different pharmacies in your area. You might find it’s worth driving a bit further to get a discounted price.
4. Ask your prescriber about alternatives
Winlevi isn’t the only topical acne treatment. Ask your prescriber about lower-cost options that may adequately treat your condition, like generic adapalene or generic tretinoin gel or cream.
5. Use tax-advantaged healthcare funds
Consider using a flexible spending account, a health savings account, or a health reimbursement arrangement to cover your medication. These types of accounts have multiple tax benefits when used to cover healthcare costs. This can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings. Review your account’s contribution limits, rollover limits, and eligible expenses.
The bottom line
Winlevi (clascoterone) is a prescription-only topical cream used to treat acne. The cost of Winlevi depends on factors like the pharmacy and your insurance coverage.
If you don’t have insurance, the average price of one 60 g tube of Winlevi 1% topical cream is about $727.55. You could pay as little as $505.79 at select pharmacies with a free GoodRx coupon. Winlevi’s manufacturer also offers two ways to save on your prescription through an online specialty pharmacy or, if you qualify, via a copay card.
If you have insurance but your plan doesn’t cover Winlevi, you could still save money by using a GoodRx coupon. Other ways to save include using funds from a tax-advantaged healthcare account, asking your prescriber about cost-effective alternatives, and shopping around at different pharmacies.
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
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Sun Pharma. (n.d.). 2 options to save on Winlevi.
Sun Pharma. (n.d.). Winlevi co-pay program.
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