How Much Is Yaz Without Insurance?
Key takeaways:
Yaz is a combination oral contraceptive (COC) that contains two synthetic hormones: drospirenone (a progestin) and ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen). When taken as prescribed, Yaz can help prevent pregnancy and treat conditions including acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Without insurance, 28 tablets of Yaz cost around $65.69 with a GoodRx coupon. The actual cost depends on factors including your location, pharmacy, and insurance coverage. Generic versions of Yaz, such as Loryna and Lo-Zumandimine, may also cost less.
With insurance, you typically have no out-of-pocket costs if Yaz is covered by your plan.
Table of contents
About two-thirds of women in the U.S. ages 15 to 49 use some form of contraception. Birth control pills, such as Yaz (drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol), are the second-most-used contraceptive method and the most popular reversible method.
Like many oral contraceptives, Yaz contains a combination of synthetic hormones designed to prevent pregnancy. This prescription-only medication is also FDA-approved to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms and moderate acne in females ages 14 and up who have started menstruating.
Yaz may cause certain side effects, including nausea, changes to menstruation, and breast pain or tenderness. Side effects typically improve over time with continued use of the medication.
Yaz basics
Yaz is a combination birth control pill that contains both estrogen and progestin. It comes in a 28-pill blister packet containing:
24 light-pink tablets with 3 mg of drospirenone (a synthetic progestin hormone) and 0.02 mg ethinyl estradiol (a synthetic estrogen)
4 white medication-free tablets (“placebo pills”)
You can start taking Yaz on the first day of your menstrual cycle or on the Sunday immediately following the onset of your cycle. For best results, take each pill as directed — once daily at the same time each day. If you miss pills, contact a healthcare professional. The directions for getting back on track (and whether you should use backup contraception) depend on how many pills you’ve missed and what week of the pack you’re on.
The chart below provides a summary of basic information about Yaz.
Yaz basics
Brand name | Yaz |
Branded generics | • Gianvi • Loryna • Lo-Zumandimine • Nikki • Jasmiel • Vestura |
Active ingredients | • Drospirenone • Ethinyl estradiol |
How supplied | 1 packet of 28 tablets (24 with active hormones, 4 placebo pills) |
FDA-approved uses | • Pregnancy prevention • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptom treatment • Treatment of moderate acne (in people ages 14 and older who have started menstruating) |
How it works | Yaz prevents pregnancy by: • Preventing ovulation (the release of an egg) — this is the primary way Yaz prevents pregnancy • Thickening cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to enter the uterus and swim toward an egg • Thinning the uterine lining, making it harder for a fertilized egg to implant and start a pregnancy Yaz works for PMDD by stabilizing hormone levels in the body. The natural changes of estrogen and progesterone in the body during your menstrual cycle may contribute to PMDD symptoms. The way Yaz works for acne isn’t fully understood. But it may reduce the level of testosterone in your body, which can manage acne. |
Benefits | • Reduces the risk of pregnancy • Can help treat moderate acne in females ages 14 and up • Treats PMDD symptoms |
• Nausea • Heavy/irregular bleeding • Headache/migraine • Breast tenderness/pain • Mood changes • Fatigue • Temporary weight gain caused by water retention when you first start taking Yaz • Lower sex drive |
Is Yaz covered by insurance?
Most Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance plans, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) marketplace plans, must cover at least one birth control option from each FDA-approved category with no cost-sharing. This means you don’t have to pay coinsurance or a copay, even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. However, this does not include all plans, and some plans may not cover specific generic or brand-name birth control options, including Yaz.
For example, Yaz is covered for nearly all people with Medicaid and about 70% of people enrolled in commercial insurance plans that are not ACA plans. But Yaz is covered for less than a quarter of people with ACA plans and very few with Medicare.
Birth control pills are effective. With typical use, combination oral contraceptives (COCs), such as Yaz, and other birth control pills are about 91% effective. With perfect use, they are about 99% effective.
Learn about Yaz side effects. COCs such as Yaz contain hormones that may cause side effects, including irregular bleeding or breast tenderness.
Who should not take Yaz? Because of the higher risk of heart attack or stroke, people with coronary artery disease, a history of blood clots, and those over age 35 who smoke should not take birth control pills.
If you have insurance, check your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary to determine whether Yaz is covered.
How insurance covers Yaz
Many health insurance plans don’t require prior authorization or step therapy for Yaz, but prior authorization will be required for about 1 in 3 people with Medicaid and about 1 in 9 people with ACA plans. About 1 in 6 commercial insurance plans require step therapy.
The following chart shows your likelihood of coverage, as well as your chances of facing restrictions such as prior authorization and step therapy, based on your type of insurance.
Insurance coverage for Yaz
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 the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace | 70.1% | 8.8% | 17.2% |
24.3% | 11.9% | 0.2% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 6.8% | 0% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 99.6% | 35.2% | 0.26% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of October 17, 2024. (See methodology below.)
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
Here are a few options to try if your insurance does not cover Yaz:
Switch to a generic version of Yaz.
Ask for a formulary exception from your insurer. This may require you to do step therapy or get a prior authorization to be covered.
If your exception request is denied, file an appeal with your plan.
Use a GoodRx coupon for potential savings.
Speak with your prescriber about alternative contraceptives.
Consider changing your prescription medication coverage during your next open enrollment period. Review the new plan’s options, cost, and coverage before making a switch.
How much does Yaz cost without insurance?
If you don’t have health insurance, what you’ll pay for Yaz will depend on factors such as:
Fill amount (28-day vs. 84-day supply)
Specific pharmacy
Geographic location
Without insurance, the cost for 1 package of Yaz can be about $65.69 when you use a GoodRx coupon.
How to afford Yaz without insurance
Here are five ways to save on Yaz without insurance.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
A GoodRx coupon could get you a lower price for your Yaz prescription.
Here’s how to get a coupon:
Visit www.goodrx.com or install the GoodRx app on your mobile device.
Type “Yaz” in the search field. Alternatively, choose a generic option (e.g., Loryna). You may want to contact your pharmacy to see which branded generic(s) it carries or if they can order a different one that costs less.
Choose the correct location and quantity.
Click or tap on “Search prices” to find prices at pharmacies near you.
Choose to receive your coupon via text or email and print it out. Or save your coupon on the GoodRx app.
Show your coupon at the pharmacy when you pick up your medication. Or present the coupon to your pharmacy staff early in the filling process, such as when you receive your prescription, to help prevent delays at the pickup counter.
2. Use a generic option
Yaz has several branded generic alternatives that cost less. You may be able to save on them, too, with a GoodRx coupon.
3. Request a 3-month supply
Ask your prescriber to write you a prescription for 3 packages of Yaz (an 84-day supply) instead of a 28-day supply to compare costs. Filling a larger quantity may lower your overall costs and reduce your trips to the pharmacy. Without insurance, the cost for 3 packages of Yaz can be around $184.28 with a GoodRx coupon.
3. Compare prices at various pharmacies
GoodRx can easily compare costs at different pharmacies to help you find the best Yaz price in your area.
4. Ask your prescriber about alternatives
If you’re concerned about the cost of Yaz, ask your prescriber about alternatives. You may be able to take another birth control medication that’s equally as effective and better fits your budget.
5. Use your tax-advantaged healthcare funds
If you have a health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), using those funds to purchase your medication can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings.
The bottom line
The cost of Yaz (drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol) depends on several factors, such as your pharmacy, location, fill amount, and insurance coverage. A 28-tablet packet of Yaz can cost around $65.69 with a GoodRx coupon. Branded generic versions, such as Loryna or Jasmiel, may cost less.
Another way to save on your medication is to use a GoodRx coupon. You could also request a 3-month (84-tablet) supply instead of a 1-month (28-tablet) supply, as this may lower your per-pill cost. Speak with your prescriber about your options and whether any suitable alternatives may save you money.
Why trust our experts?
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).
References
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2023). Yaz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) tablets, for oral use [package insert].
Cooper, D. B., et al. (2024). Oral contraceptive pills. StatPearls.
Daniels, K., et al. (2020). Current contraceptive status among women aged 15–49: United States, 2017–2019. National Center for Health Statistics.
Healthcare.gov. (n.d.). Birth control benefits.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
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