Key takeaways
Rosuvastatin, a medication used to treat high cholesterol and related conditions, can be expensive without insurance, averaging $217 for a 30-day supply.
Insurance typically covers rosuvastatin, significantly lowering the cost, but for those without coverage, alternatives and discounts, like the SingleCare discount card, can reduce expenses.
Comparing prices at different pharmacies and inquiring about cheaper statins with healthcare providers can help find more affordable options for managing cholesterol.
Financial assistance for rosuvastatin is available through Medicaid and community resources for those who qualify based on income or other criteria.
Is rosuvastatin covered by insurance? | How much does rosuvastatin cost without insurance? | How to get rosuvastatin without insurance
Statins such as rosuvastatin (brand-name Crestor) help lower cholesterol. Healthcare providers also prescribe rosuvastatin to people who have risk factors for heart attack, stroke, chest pain, heart disease, or other cardiovascular and other off-label conditions. Rosuvastatin is also used to treat high triglyceride levels in the blood, plaque build-up in the blood vessels, as well as hereditary conditions that elevate cholesterol levels. Doses will vary, but most people prescribed rosuvastatin can expect to take anywhere from 5–40 mg once per day.
Rosuvastatin is the generic version of Crestor, and both can only be purchased with a prescription. Rosuvastatin is the most recent statin to come to market in generic form, and while it was at one time a very expensive medication, you can obtain a rosuvastatin prescription for a reasonable cost, especially with a SingleCare savings card.
Is rosuvastatin covered by insurance?
Rosuvastatin is commonly covered by health insurance plans of all types: private health insurance, employer health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and others.
The cost of rosuvastatin depends on the insurance plan’s formulary, copay cost, deductible, coinsurance, and other factors. Insurance companies usually classify rosuvastatin either as a low copay drug (or “Tier 1” drug) or as a preventive drug with a low, or no, copay.
How much does rosuvastatin cost without insurance?
Without insurance, the retail price of a 30-day supply of rosuvastatin averages $217. Taking rosuvastatin for a year will cost a little more than $2,400 without health insurance.
There are less expensive statins. All are FDA approved to lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL), reduce fats, increase “good” cholesterol (HDL), and reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events. They all work the same way by blocking a liver enzyme that is key to the body’s production of cholesterol. They have similar side effects and drug interactions.
Some people may wonder about lower-cost natural remedies and dietary supplements, such as dietary fiber, that are available over-the-counter and advertised as cholesterol or fat-lowering treatments. A few of these, when combined with exercise and diet, may affect cholesterol, but none are considered effective substitutes for prescription cholesterol medications.
Compare rosuvastatin prices to related drugs |
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Drug Name | Price without insurance of brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) | $346 per 30, 10 mg tablets | $6 per 30, 10 mg tablets of generic rosuvastatin | See updated prices |
Ezallor Sprinkle (rosuvastatin calcium) | $117 per 30, 20 mg capsules | $93 per 30, 20 mg capsules of brand-name Ezallo Sprinkle | See updated prices |
Zocor | $312 per 30, 20 mg tablets | $3 per 30, 20 mg tablets for generic Zocor | See updated prices |
Pravachol (pravastatin) | $124 per 30, 40 mg tablets of generic pravastatin | $6 per 30, 40 mg tablets of generic pravastatin | See updated prices |
Lipitor | $433 per 30, 10 mg tablets | $13 per 30, 40 mg tablets of generic Lipitor | See updated prices |
Mevacor
(lovastatin) |
$129 per 90, 20 mg tablets of generic lovastatin | $6 per 90, 20 mg tablets of generic lovastatin | See updated prices |
Lescol
(lluvastatin) |
$148 per 30, 20 mg capsules of generic fluvastatin | $34 per 30, 20 mg capsules of generic fluvastatin | See updated prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs. The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see updated drug prices.
How to get rosuvastatin without insurance
Paying full cash price for prescription medications isn’t always necessary. There are many options to get needed drugs like statins at an affordable price and maybe even for free. For brand-name drugs, a manufacturer’s patient assistance program can help the needy, but not everyone will qualify, and they’re not commonly offered for generic drugs. For rosuvastatin, the basic strategy is this: always carry a SingleCare discount card, buy at the lowest price, ask a healthcare professional about cheaper alternatives, and then look for financial assistance as a last resort.
1. Always carry a SingleCare discount card
A SingleCare discount card offers access to prescription discounts unavailable to other people. A 30-day supply of generic rosuvastatin can be purchased for almost $210 less than the average retail price. The SingleCare card can also be used on thousands of prescription medications. Browse the SingleCare prescription drug directory to see how much you can save on other perscription medications.
2. Buy rosuvastatin at the lowest pharmacy price
Like all other retail purchases, significant discounts can be found simply by shopping around. Prescription drug prices vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. Shop your local pharmacies to get the best price.
3. Ask the prescriber about other statins
Why take rosuvastatin over one of the cheaper statins? That’s a legitimate question to ask the prescriber. However, consider carefully the prescriber’s medical advice. Some statins, though cheaper, may not be appropriate for your unique medical condition or have other problems like possible allergic reactions.
4. Consider Medicaid
Medicaid is health insurance subsidized by the government. Premiums will be very low, medical care will have low copay costs, and drugs like rosuvastatin will cost only a few dollars or free for many people. Medicaid is intended as financial assistance, so there will be income and other eligibility requirements. Visit your state’s Medicaid website for additional information, eligibility criteria, and enrollment forms.
5. Get financial assistance from your local community
For people with low incomes, community resources can help provide a rosuvastatin prescription at a very low price or for free. Start with local 340B providers. These are community health clinics and hospitals that purchase government-subsidized prescription drugs and sell them very cheaply or give them away. Again, 340B providers provide financial assistance, so there will be income eligibility requirements and an enrollment process. Local health departments can provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of these providers, as well as other community resources that can help pay for needed medicines.