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The manufacturers of most epinephrine options offer U.S. savings programs and patient assistance programs.

Epinephrine is the only treatment for a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis [anna-fih-LACK-sis]. It is only available through a prescription by your doctor. Most prescriptions come with 2 doses. Epinephrine is most commonly prescribed in easy-to-use options, such as auto-injectors and nasal spray.

People with food allergies should have epinephrine with them at all times. For children, this might mean that you need extra epinephrine doses. For example, your child may need to keep epinephrine at school, as well as some at after-school care. And you may want epinephrine that stays at home or goes with you when you leave the house.

Here are savings offers for epinephrine options, as well as other ideas that may help you save money on drug costs. Your final copay, if any, may vary depending on your insurance plan and the deductibles for your family. Talk with your doctor about which epinephrine option is right for your family.

Savings Programs for Epinephrine Devices

Other Possible Ways to Save Money

  • Change insurance plans – If you are privately insured through work, think about a different plan during open enrollment. If your family’s income is below a certain level, you might be able to get Medicaid and/or your children might qualify under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This depends on your state. Visit HealthCare.gov or your state’s health insurance site.

  • Switch to the “preferred” device for your plan – If you have prescription benefits, you may save on copays by using the epinephrine option that is on the insurance “preferred” list on your plan’s formulary (list of covered medicines).

  • Use mail order – If you have prescription benefits, look into your plan’s mail order pharmacy options. This may give you a lower price or provide more 2-packs of medicine for the same price. Many mail order prescription plans cover with a 3 month’s supply of medicine for the cost of 2 month’s copay.

  • Talk with your doctor – If you have insurance, talk with your doctor. Sometimes they can write the prescription so you can get more sets of medicine for 1 copay. Typically, a 2-pack of epinephrine auto-injectors is considered a 30-day supply under your prescription plan. A doctor might write the prescription for 6 auto-injectors (3 packs of 2) to be filled at once. This could then be filled through the mail order pharmacy, as described above.

  • Shop around – Call around to different pharmacies. Prices can vary, especially between large chain pharmacies and smaller independent pharmacies. Be aware that the pharmacies at club stores such as Costco and Sam’s Club are generally available to non-members too.

  • Check with your local children’s hospital – This option may work if your child sees doctors at a major children’s hospital. Ask if they have any grants or patient assistance programs that can help pay for your child’s prescription.

  • Talk with your employer – If you have medical insurance through an employer, contact your human resources department. Explain that your insurance will not cover a life-saving medicine for you or your child. If you have a generous employer, they may try to help you.

Get answers about managing your child's food allergies on our online forums.

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Updated January 2025

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Comments (36)

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FYI, we just filled a prescription for Auvi Q at Walgreens for $139 per 2pack. We didn’t qualify for any of the assistance programs so we decided to pay out of pocket. The pharmacist at Walgreens put their own “coupon” in the system (it may have been a GoodRx coupon but it was cheaper than what is quoted online for GoodRx) and charged us only $139 per 2 pack. That’s cheaper than the Auvi Q price for those not covered by insurance.

ColoradoCarol

The blog post was updated on Dec. 3, 2018, to include the following:

Teva offers a generic version epinephrine auto-injector in limited areas in the U.S. It is available in 0.3 mg for $300 per two-pack. It will be released in larger quantities in the U.S., along with a 0.15 mg version, in 2019.

Kids With Food Allergies

Cynthia, 

No, I haven't called the pharma companies. My pharmacist is great though and he's on top of it. I wanted to see what he came up with first before trying to call pharma companies - that just seems like a runaround waiting to happen! I just found this site though, so I will keep checking back! Thanks!

K
Last edited by KristaB

KristaB, have you tried calling the contact number on the pharma company in question? They may be able to give you a timeline or a coupon that would work.

Also, could you talk to your pharmacist or doctor? They may be able to reach out to their pharmaceutical reps for answers or a coupon, or even samples of some medications.

I know that KFA is awesome about updating all this -- so keep an eye for updates. 

K8sMom2002

You're right - the pharma company websites aren't updated yet for 2018 and the coupons all expired 12/31/17. I'm trying to fill prescriptions now and don't have a valid coupon! How do I get an updated one?

K
The doctor said he did not know about the problem. Keep calling around. Apparently, Epi pens were recalled about three weeks ago. The pharmacies I spoke to will not sell epi pens until the new, post recall, pens have been sent to them. They do not want the liability. If you need an epi at this time, call 911.

Stef
H
I can't get a cost. My CVS says all epi's are recalled. Mine expires in May, but can't get any replacements. I'm told none are available.

Anyone know if the expiration date can be stretched? I can't be without an epi, but can't replace it according to the pharmacy.

Stef

H

My insurance company sent me a letter saying they no longer cover Mylan Epi-pens as of next month, but supposedly they cover the generic.  I looked up their formulary list.  They cover Auvi-Q at 80%, which is worse than paying full price for the Mylan Epis.  They don't cover Adrenaclick.  In theory, they cover the Mylan generic.  I'll have to leave extra time in August when I attempt to pick up the school's epis for pharmacist-allergist phone tag.  GoodRx lists the prices of your various options at pharmacies near your location.

E

Apparently Express Scripts has decided that both the Mylan generic Epi and the Lineage Therapeutics epinepherine injector are "branded" medication rather than generic.  Spoke with multiple customer service folks as well as one of their "pharmacists" and they are telling me no generic epinepherine auto-injectors exist although they are pushing me to the Mylan generic.  The insurance coverage is of course significantly higher for generics but only if they treat a generic as a generic.  Getting the Mylan generic will raise my costs to $75 a two pack from free on the branded version due to co-pay coupons.

Parent2017

Sabine, did you ever talk with your doctor and your insurance company to see if generic epinephrine autoinjectors would be covered? There are two versions of generic autoinjectors -- one company's generic version works exactly like their brand name version, from what I understand.

K8sMom2002
Last edited by K8sMom2002
Sabine - will the cover a different generic epinephrine autoinjector? You
doctor has to specifically write the prescription for the generic ones.
Otherwise, the pharmacy has to dispense the brand name.
Kathy P
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