How much is Anoro Ellipta without insurance?

Is Anoro Ellipta covered by insurance | How much does Anoro Ellipta cost without insurance? | How to get Anoro Ellipta without insurance

Anoro Ellipta is a brand-name prescription inhaler that prevents flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition that includes bronchitis, emphysema, or both. Anoro Ellipta combines two bronchodilators that keep airways open by both relaxing airway muscles and preventing them from tightening. Anoro Ellipta is FDA-approved only as a maintenance treatment, not as a rescue inhaler. 

As a COPD maintenance treatment, Anoro Ellipta is taken every day as a single puff. Possible side effects include sore throat, sinus infection, muscle spasms, neck pain, chest pain, constipation, elevated blood pressure, worsening of glaucoma, decreased urination, and allergic reactions such as hives. As a brand-name drug containing two drugs unavailable in generic versions, Anoro Ellipta is expensive. People without health insurance can still, however, get the drug at an affordable price. Here are some strategies.

Is Anoro Ellipta covered by insurance?

Anoro Ellipta is generally covered by health insurance plans. 93% of commercially insured and 76% of Medicare Part D patients have Anoro Ellipta coverage. For others, their plan may exclude Anoro Ellipta or require that other drugs be tried first.

How much does Anoro Ellipta cost without insurance?

Expect to pay about $583 for an Anoro Ellipta inhaler without insurance coverage. The inhaler will provide enough medicine for 30 doses if used correctly, so the annual cost of Anoro Ellipta will exceed $7,000 at full retail price. Health insurance may reduce the cost, but the out-of-pocket cost can still be substantial because of variables, such as the insurance plan’s formulary, copay cost, deductible, and coverage gaps. Commercial health insurances tend to group Anoro Ellipta in their second drug tier. The copay cost won’t be low, but it won’t be too exorbitant, either. Medicare plans tend to group it in the third tier, so the copay cost will be harder to afford.

There are alternative inhalers available that combine two drugs similar to the active ingredients in Anoro Ellipta. The first ingredient in Anoro Ellipta, umeclidinium, is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) that prevents muscles in the airways from tightening. The second ingredient, vilanterol, is a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA) that causes muscles in the airways to relax, widening the airways. There are at least three alternative LAMA/LABA inhalers on the market. All of them are brand-name prescription medications, but at least one is less expensive than Anoro Ellipta. A healthcare provider may also suggest inhalers that combine a long-acting beta-agonist like vilanterol with an inhaled corticosteroid. Commonly-prescribed examples of this combination include Breo Ellipta (fluticasone-vilanterol) and Advair Diskus (fluticasone-salmeterol).

COPD is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition, so it’s wise to not substitute over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, or natural remedies in place of FDA-approved treatments. Non-medical treatments can help with breathing problems, but they, too, should not replace prescription drugs.

RELATED: Anoro Ellipta alternatives: What can I take instead of Anoro Ellipta?

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 Anoro Ellipta without insurance

For people with chronic bronchitis or emphysema, Anoro Ellipta can be a life-saving medication. Uninsured patients need to find reliable and long-term strategies to pay for their medicine. Manufacturer coupons and rebates are not a good solution because they’re rarely offered. A free trial could help, but patients will have to apply to the manufacturer. GlaxoSmithKline offers a patient assistance program, GSK For You, that could supply free Anoro Ellipta to uninsured or some Medicare patients. That’s a good solution, but not everyone will meet the eligibility requirements. Try these more foolproof strategies instead:

1. Fill the prescription with a SingleCare savings card

The SingleCare discounted price for an Anoro Ellipta inhaler can be as low as $360, which is one-third of the cost of the average retail price. A SingleCare discount card, then, could save $2,400 per year for people taking Anoro Ellipta. Visit the Anoro Ellipta free coupon page for updated prices. 

2. Find lower prices for Anoro Ellipta

Simply finding the lowest price for Anoro Ellipta could provide significant savings. How much? There’s as much as a $100 difference between the highest and the lowest pharmacy prices for Anoro Ellipta, depending on the pharmacy. For maximum savings, bring a SingleCare Anoro Ellipta coupon to a participating pharmacy.

3. Find the lowest prices for Anoro Ellipta online

By shopping at an online mail-order pharmacy, an uninsured patient could fill an Anoro Ellipta prescription at a $130 discount. Some online pharmacies also honor SingleCare coupons. 

4. Ask for medical advice about other inhalers

The prescribing healthcare provider may be able to prescribe a less-expensive drug like Bevespi Aerosphere, a different combination drug, or one or more generic drugs that help keep airways open. These alternatives could be even cheaper by using a SingleCare discount card at a participating pharmacy.

5. Get health insurance

COPD treatment lasts a lifetime and involves more than just paying for an inhaler. Costs of COPD include doctor’s visits, tests, emergency room visits, and, of course, prescription drugs. When all these recurring and burdensome costs are added, health insurance may be cheaper. People who can’t afford health insurance should consider Medicaid. Drugs like Anoro Ellipta, if covered by a state’s Medicaid services, maycost only a few dollars or nothing at all. 

6. Enroll in Medicare Extra Help

Some Medicare plans don’t cover Anoro Ellipta; others put the drug in a costly drug tier. If Anoro Ellipta is unaffordable with your current Medicare Plan, consider taking advantage of Medicare LIS (low-income subsidy). The eligibility criteria is similar to Medicaid, so start by visiting the Medicare website for eligibility requirements, enrollment forms, and additional information.