Kevzara and cost

Kevzara cost

As with all medications, the cost of Kevzara can vary. Factors that may affect the price you’ll pay include:

• your treatment plan
• your insurance coverage
• the pharmacy you use
• whether Kevzara has a savings program (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below)

To find out what the cost of Kevzara will be for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Note: If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Kevzara. This means the company and your doctor will discuss Kevzara in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether the medication is covered. If a drug requires prior authorization, but you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Kevzara requires prior authorization.

Common questions about cost and Kevzara

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about drug cost and Kevzara.

Is there a patient assistance program or copay card available for Kevzara?

Yes. The KevzaraConnect program offers both a patient assistance program and a copay card.

For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Does Kevzara cost less than Actemra?

It’s possible. Actemra (tocilizumab) is another brand-name biologic drug that may be prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis. As with Kevzara, Actemra doesn’t come in a biosimilar version. (Biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name biologic medications.)

The cost of each drug can also depend on other factors. This includes your insurance coverage and whether you receive your doses at home or in a healthcare professional’s office.

To find out the price you’ll pay for either drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. For more information about how Kevzara and Actemra compare, read this article.

Brand-name vs. biosimilar drugs

Kevzara contains the active drug sarilumab, and it’s available only as a brand-name biologic drug. It doesn’t come in a biosimilar version. A biosimilar medication is a drug that’s similar to a brand-name biologic drug (the parent drug). Also, biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name biologic medications.

WHY ARE COSTS DIFFERENT FOR BIOLOGIC DRUGS VS. BIOSIMILAR DRUGS?

Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the research needed to test their safety and effectiveness. The manufacturer of a biologic drug can sell it for up to 12 years. When the biologic drug’s patent expires, multiple manufacturers can create biosimilar versions. This marketplace competition may lead to lower costs for biosimilars. Also, because biosimilars are very similar to biologic drugs, they don’t require the same costly testing.

Ways to reduce long-term drug costs

If you take Kevzara long term, you may be able to lower its cost in the following ways.

Getting a 3-month supply

You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Kevzara. If approved by your insurance company, getting a 90-day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.

Financial and insurance assistance

If you need financial support to pay for Kevzara, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. For example:

• The KevzaraConnect program is available for this drug. KevzaraConnect offers a copay card, a patient assistance program, and other patient resources. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible for support, call 844-538-9272 or visit the program website.
• Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:
  • Medicine Assistance Tool
  • NeedyMeds

To learn more about saving money on prescriptions with or without insurance, check out this article.

Next steps

Now that you’ve learned about cost and Kevzara, you may still have some questions. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist, who can provide personalized guidance about cost issues related to Kevzara. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you would pay for Kevzara.

Here are some other resources you may find helpful:

• Medicare drug coverage. To learn about Medicare coverage for drugs, see these articles about Medicare prescription drug plans, drug coupons and Medicare, and the Medicare drug list.
• More details. For details about other aspects of Kevzara, refer to this article.
• Dosage. Learn about Kevzara and dosage by viewing this article.
• Side effects. For details about Kevzara’s side effects, see this article. You can also look at the Kevzara prescribing information.
• Information about rheumatoid arthritis. For more information about rheumatoid arthritis, see our rheumatoid arthritis hub.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.