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How much is Zioptan without insurance?

Zioptan costs $280 without insurance. Learn how to get Zioptan at a lower price, or find cheaper alternatives.
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By | Jan. 22, 2023 Medically reviewed by Keith Gardner, R.Ph.
Rx eye drops: How much is Zioptan without insurance?

Key takeaways

  • Zioptan is a prescription drug used to reduce eye pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma, costing about $280 without insurance for a 30-day supply.

  • While Zioptan’s authorized generic, tafluprost, offers a slightly cheaper option, significant savings can be found through alternative prostaglandin analogs or other types of eye pressure-lowering drugs.

  • Insurance coverage for Zioptan varies, with some plans not covering it at all or placing it in higher drug tiers, leading to higher copay costs. A patient savings card from Thea Pharma may make the medication more affordable.

  • Utilizing a SingleCare discount card, comparing pharmacy prices, and discussing alternative medications with a healthcare provider are effective strategies to significantly reduce the cost of treating ocular hypertension or glaucoma.

In this article:

Zioptan is a brand-name prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  to reduce pressure in the eye. It is commonly prescribed to people with high eye pressure (ocular hypertension) or open-angle glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve and can result in reduced vision and even blindness. Zioptan’s active ingredient, tafluprost, is a prostaglandin analog. It is chemically similar to a type of natural prostaglandin in the eye that stimulates the outflow of fluid from the eye. A single drop in the affected eye once per day is enough to lower fluid pressure in the eye. Though a brand-name drug, Zioptan can be purchased as the authorized generic tafluprost eye drops, but because authorized generics are produced by the brand manufacturer and simply marketed under different labeling, the price difference is currently not much different. Fortunately, there are myriad other ways to save money on this prescription drug.

What is the generic for Zioptan?

Zioptan can be purchased as the authorized generic tafluprost eye drops, but until other generic versions are approved, the price may not be much lower. Because the authorized generic tafluprost was just approved by the FDA in November 2022, it may not be widely covered by insurance plans at this time. 

Is Zioptan covered by insurance?

Zioptan is covered by some health insurance plans, Medicare Part D plans, and Medicaid plans. However, some plans do not cover it, typically lower-cost value plans. Insurance plans that do cover Zioptan often classify the drug in the highest drug tiers or place restrictions on it, such as step therapy or prior authorization. Copay costs may be higher than for generic drugs or more commonly prescribed ocular hypertension drugs. Eligible patients with commercial health insurance could save on a patient savings card from Thea Pharma.

How much does Zioptan cost without insurance?

People without insurance may find themselves paying about $280 for 30 single-use vials of 0.0015% ophthalmic solution of Zioptan. This averages out to about $9 per day or $3,400 per year.

Switching to generic tafluprost may help reduce the cost, but not by much. Instead, ask the prescribing healthcare provider about alternative prostaglandin analogs. Latanoprost, the generic version of the branded drug Xalatan,  is generally considered the first-line treatment for high eye pressure. If it hasn’t been tried yet, it’s perhaps the best way to reduce the cost of prostaglandin analog treatment. If it has, there are other less expensive generic prostaglandin eye drops. In addition, other types of eye drops besides prostaglandin analogs are effective at reducing eye pressure. There will be trade-offs, so ask a healthcare professional for medical advice about other treatment options.

RELATED: Zioptan alternatives: What can I take instead of Zioptan? 
Drug name Price without insurance of brand-name drug  SingleCare price Savings options
Zioptan $277 per 30 vials of 0.0015% ophthalmic solution $184 per 30 vials of 0.0015% ophthalmic solution of brand-name Zioptan See latest prices
Latanoprost $80 per 1, 2.5 ml of 0.005% solution $7 per 1, 2.5 ml of 0.005% solution of generic latanoprost See latest prices
Travoprost $201 per 2.5 ml of 0.004% solution $46 per 2.5 ml of 0.004% solution of generic travoprost See latest prices
Rhopressa $356 per 1, 2.5 ml of 0.02% solution $300 per 1, 2.5 ml of 0.02% solution of name-brand Rhopressa See latest prices
Cosopt $251 per 1, 10 ml of 22.3-6.8 mg/ml solution $14 per 1, 10 ml of 22.3-6.8 mg/ml solution of brand-name Cosopt See latest prices
Timolol Maleate $21 per 1, 5 ml of 0.5% solution $1 per 1, 5 ml of 0.5% solution of generic timolol maleate 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 link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.

How to get Zioptan without insurance

With a cash price approaching $280 per month, paying for a Zioptan prescription could be challenging. This $280 expense comes on top of other medical costs like regular eye exams and ophthalmologist visits. People without insurance can check to see if they’re eligible for a manufacturer’s savings card. Eligibility requirements and the price discount aren’t public information, so it’s an uncertain patient assistance program. Unfortunately, manufacturer coupons and rebates are not currently available. Fortunately, that doesn’t exhaust every possible way to save money. The first place to start is a SingleCare savings card.

1. Use a SingleCare discount card to save over $90 per month

A SingleCare prescription discount card can save as much as $90 on a 30-day supply of Zioptan, adding up to over $1,000 per year. Keep in mind that the discount price will depend on which SingleCare participating pharmacy the card is used at. A list of updated Zioptan discounts at local pharmacies can be found on SingleCare’s Zioptan coupons page.

2. Look for the lowest price

The lowest retail price for Zioptan can be almost $50 lower than the highest retail price. This applies even to local pharmacies. Adding this up over 12 months means that simply comparing pharmacies’ prices could save up to $600 per year.

3. Ask the prescriber about other prostaglandin analogs

Latanoprost is commonly regarded as the first-line treatment for high ocular pressure. A 30-day supply of generic latanoprost costs about $80. Using SingleCare’s discount program, that price can drop to as low as $7. Twelve months of using latanoprost with a SingleCare discount can save almost $3,000 per year. Generic Lumigan (bimatoprost) and generic Travatan Z (travoprost) are other generic prostaglandin analogs similar to Zioptan. The lowest SingleCare discount price for both bimatoprost and travoprost is less than $47 for a 30-day supply.

4. Ask the prescriber about other eye pressure treatment options

Other types of FDA-approved ocular hypertension drugs may work as well or better than a prostaglandin analog. These include generic Alphagan P (brimonidine), generic Timoptic (timolol maleate), generic Trusopt (dorzolamide), acetazolamide, and combination drugs like generic Cosopt (dorzolamide-timolol). There will be trade-offs in both effectiveness and side effects, so ask the prescriber about the pros and cons of switching drug types.

 

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