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Key takeaways
Arexvy is an FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of RSV in adults 60 years and older.
The list price of Arexvy is $636, and there are no generic alternatives at this time.
Arexvy is covered under Medicare and Medicaid plans, as well as many commercial and private plans, but if you don’t have coverage, you can lower the cost with a SingleCare prescription discount card.
Arexvy is a single-dose vaccine recommended for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults 60 years and older. You need a prescription for Arexvy, which you can receive either at your local pharmacy or your healthcare provider’s office.
Arexvy is one of two vaccines approved in 2023 by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of RSV—a respiratory virus that can cause mild, cold-like symptoms but be serious in infants and older adults. Because the vaccines are so new, there are no generic alternatives, and the cost of Arexvy without insurance is around $636. However, most people can receive insurance coverage for Arexvy. Even if you don’t have insurance, there are still a few ways to save money. We’ll share how.
How much does Arexvy cost per month?
According to the American Medical Association, a single dose of Arexvy is all that’s currently recommended. Since you only receive it once, there’s no per-month cost. What we know about RSV vaccines so far is that they seem to provide protection for multiple seasons, so it’s unlikely you would need to get Arexvy every year like a flu shot.
Factors influencing the cost of Arexvy
“The main factor affecting the cost of Arexvy is your insurance plan,” said Razan Hendi, Pharm.D., a hospice consultant pharmacist at DeltaCare Rx. If Arexvy is covered under your plan’s benefits, your out-of-pocket cost will depend on any deductibles or copays outlined by your plan.
Without insurance, the total cost of Arexvy will vary based on the specific pharmacy location you choose to fill your prescription, along with any prescription discount cards you use.
Is there a generic Arexvy?
No, there is currently no generic version of Arexvy. It’s a relatively new drug that was just approved for use in 2023.
Is Arexvy covered by insurance?
Arexvy is covered under Medicare Part D when prescribed by a healthcare provider. And because it’s recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Medicare Part D is required to cover the Arexvy vaccine with no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. The same applies to people on Medicaid.
“Arexvy is also typically covered through most commercial and private insurance plans, too,” said Dr. Hendi, pointing to a provision under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires group health plans and health insurance providers to provide coverage for vaccines recommended by the ACIP. It also requires group health plans to provide ACIP-recommended vaccines free of charge when given by an in-network provider.
That said, some people with commercial and private health insurance may still be required to pay a copay in the immediate future, since the vaccine is new and so are the ACIP recommendations about its use.
How much does Arexvy cost without insurance?
Without insurance, the average retail price of Arexvy is $636 for a single-dose, 120 mcg/0.5 mL vaccine. There is no generic version of Arexvy, so unfortunately, you can’t lower your costs by opting for a generic vaccine.
There is one other RSV vaccine on the market approved for use in adults over the age of 60, Abrysvo, and its list price is less expensive than Arexvy’s. It could be a cheaper alternative to Arexvy, but it’s not an option for everyone. According to Jared Braunstein, DO, internist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder, Arexvy has been found to be more effective in older adults with underlying medical conditions than Abrysvo. However, no studies directly comparing the two products are available. By being an adjuvanted vaccine, Arexvy might induce more immune protection among people with weaker immune systems.
Compare Arexvy prices to related drugs |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price of brand-name drug without insurance | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Arexvy | $636 per 120 mcg/0.5 mL vaccine | $285 per 120 mcg/0.5 mL vaccine | See latest prices |
| Abrysvo | $477 per 120 mcg/0.5 mL vaccine | $300 per 120 mcg/0.5 mL vaccine | See latest 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 (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the “See latest prices” link to see the most current drug prices.
How to save on Arexvy without insurance
Because RSV vaccines are new to the market, there are no generic versions of them. This means it can be hard for the average person to afford the cost of Arexvy without insurance coverage. Thankfully, state-funded insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare are required to cover Arexvy at no cost to the patient when it’s been prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider, and most commercial and private insurance plans are currently or will soon be covering Arexvy, too.
That said, because many people with insurance coverage will be able to receive the Arexvy vaccine free of charge, there are no manufacturer coupons or rebates available. But if you don’t have insurance coverage, there are still two ways to save money.
1. Use a SingleCare discount card.
The SingleCare prescription discount card can help you save money on the Abrexvy vaccine when presented at a participating retail pharmacy. Instead of paying $636 for a single dose, you could spend $285. Without insurance, this is one of the cheapest prices of Abrexvy you could pay, but it’s important to remember that discounts vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, and you’ll need to use your SingleCare prescription discount card to compare prices in your area.
2. Ask your healthcare provider about Abrysvo instead.
The only other vaccine for RSV is Abrysvo, which is currently approved for use in people 60 years and older and in pregnant women who are between 32 and 36 weeks gestation. It has shown positive results in clinical trials.
Abrysvo has a lower average retail price than Arexvy ($477 versus $636), but depending on the pharmacy, its cost with a SingleCare discount card may or may not be cheaper. Your healthcare provider can help you decide if taking Abrysvo versus Arexvy is a safe and effective way for you to save money on your RSV vaccine, and if so, you can compare prices across pharmacies to see if using Abrysvo will actually cost less.
Sources
- Respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023)
- RSV vaccines: Questions patients may have and how to answer, American Medical Association (2023)
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot, Medicare.gov
