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Key takeaways
Finasteride treats an enlarged prostate and male pattern hair loss by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, but it can be expensive without insurance coverage.
Health insurance typically covers finasteride for an enlarged prostate, but not for male pattern hair loss, making out-of-pocket costs for the latter potentially high.
Alternatives to finasteride include OTC minoxidil for hair loss and alpha blockers or dutasteride for an enlarged prostate, which may be cheaper options.
Using a SingleCare discount card, purchasing finasteride online, switching to less expensive alternatives, or asking about combination drugs are ways to save money on finasteride prescriptions without insurance.
Is finasteride covered by insurance | How much does finasteride cost without insurance? | How to get finasteride without insurance
Finasteride is a generic prescription tablet that treats an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). It works by blocking an enzyme in the body that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Among other things, DHT stimulates prostate tissue growth and can cause DHT-sensitive hair follicles to shrink and die.
For an enlarged prostate, the standard dose is one 5 mg tablet taken once per day. People taking finasteride for male pattern hair loss are often prescribed to take a 1 mg tablet once per day. Finasteride is a generic drug, so its price is relatively low when compared to the price of brand-name versions. Propecia is the brand-name 1 mg tablet approved for male pattern hair loss and Proscar is the brand-name 5 mg tablet approved for BPH. There are no proven over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that can treat an enlarged prostate, but topical minoxidil is an effective OTC option for male pattern hair loss.
RELATED: Finasteride side effects
Is finasteride covered by insurance?
Commercial health insurance plans, Medicare drug plans, and Medicaid typically cover the cost of finasteride as a tier-one or preferred medication when it is prescribed for an enlarged prostate. However, insurance plans are unlikely to cover the cost of finasteride when it is used to treat male pattern hair loss.
How much does finasteride cost without insurance?
People taking finasteride for male pattern hair loss or those without adequate insurance coverage can expect to pay the full retail price for finasteride. The average retail price for a 30-day supply of 1 mg finasteride tablets is $67.48. A 30-day supply of 5 mg finasteride tablets may cost the same as a 30-day supply of 1 mg tablets, but the exact price depends on the pharmacy where they are purchased. Health insurance will pay much of the cost of a finasteride prescription when used for an enlarged prostate. The out-of-pocket cost, however, will depend on the plan’s copay and deductible.
To save money, patients taking finasteride for male pattern hair loss may want to try other treatment options first, like OTC Rogaine or its generic version, minoxidil. Unlike finasteride, which is taken as a tablet once per day, minoxidil is a topical medication that is applied to the scalp twice per day. A single bottle of minoxidil topical solution usually lasts for around one month if the medication is used as directed.
Dutasteride is an alternative to finasteride for treating an enlarged prostate. Dutasteride is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat male pattern hair loss. Both dutasteride and finasteride belong to a class of drugs called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. However, generic dutasteride usually costs more than finasteride.
If you have an enlarged prostate and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are too expensive for you, your doctor may recommend alpha blockers instead. Many generic alpha blockers are less expensive than finasteride and dutasteride. In some cases, healthcare professionals may prescribe finasteride or dutasteride with an alpha blocker to treat BPH. There are no OTC drugs or supplements that are recommended in place of prescription BPH medications to treat an enlarged prostate.
Compare finasteride prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance for brand-name drug | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Propecia (finasteride) | $133 per 30, 1 mg tablets |
$2 per 30, 1 mg tablets for generic finasteride |
See updated prices |
| Rogaine (minoxidil) | $27 per 1 bottle, 60 ml of 2% solution |
$2 per 1 bottle, 60 ml of 2% solution for generic minoxidil |
See updated prices |
| 5-Alpha reductase inhibitors | |||
| Proscar (finasteride) | $207 per 30, 1 mg tablets |
$2 per 30, 1 mg tablets for generic finasteride |
See updated prices |
| Avodart (dutasteride) | $272 per 30, 0.5 mg capsules |
$16 per 30, 0.5 mg capsules for generic dutasteride |
See updated prices |
| Alpha blockers | |||
| Hytrin (terazosin) | $33 per 100, 5 mg capsule |
$3 per 100, 5 mg capsulen for generic terazosin |
See updated prices |
| Cardura (doxazosin) | $247 per 30, 4 mg tablets |
$4 per 30, 4 mg tablets for generic doxazosin |
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 finasteride without insurance
Finasteride is relatively inexpensive, but when taken over a long time, the price can add up. Without sufficient insurance coverage, people prescribed finasteride for hair loss may find themselves paying the full cash price for months or years. There are no manufacturer’s coupons, patient assistance programs, or savings programs that can make finasteride more affordable. There are, however, other ways to save money on finasteride, starting with a SingleCare prescription savings card.
1. Use a SingleCare discount card to purchase finasteride
By taking a SingleCare discount card to a participating pharmacy, a 30-day finasteride 1 mg prescription could cost as little as $2.41. With SingleCare, a 30-day finasteride 5 mg prescription could cost as little as $3.01.
2. Purchase finasteride online
Prescription finasteride might be purchased at discounts from online mail-order pharmacies with a free coupon from SingleCare. However, make sure that you’re dealing with a regulated and trustworthy pharmacy.
3. Switch to OTC minoxidil
If generic finasteride is being taken for male pattern baldness, consider switching to OTC minoxidil, the generic version of Rogaine. It is true, though, that many people end up on finasteride or dutasteride because treatment with minoxidil does not improve their condition. However, if minoxidil hasn’t been tried, it certainly costs a lot less than finasteride. With a SingleCare Minoxidil for Men coupon, a one-month supply can cost only a few dollars.
4. Switch to an alpha blocker
If finasteride is being taken for an enlarged prostate, ask the prescribing healthcare provider for medical advice about the pros and cons of switching to a less expensive prescription drug. Alpha blockers are blood pressure drugs that are FDA-approved and commonly used to treat enlarged prostate. Some can be purchased at a much lower price than finasteride or dutasteride.
5. Ask the prescriber about combination BPH drugs
If a healthcare professional has prescribed finasteride and another drug for enlarged prostate, ask if a cheaper combination drug is available. Combination BPH drugs typically combine a drug like finasteride or dutasteride with an alpha blocker so that treatment can be taken as a single tablet or capsule. A combination drug may be more affordable than buying two separate drugs.
