Aricept (donepezil) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Aricept’s cost may depend on factors such as your dosage, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.
The price you pay for Aricept can vary. Your cost may depend on your treatment plan, your insurance coverage (if you have it), and the pharmacy you use.
To find out how much you’ll pay for Aricept, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. Or look below in the next section to learn how much you can save by using an Optum Perks coupon.
To save money on your Aricept prescription, explore these Optum Perks coupons.
Save on your Aricept prescription
Save on Aricept without insurance.
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Location
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Dosage
10mg donepezil (30 Tablets)
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Simply show the Optum Perks coupon at your preferred pharmacy or order online and instantly save up to 80% without using insurance. The coupon doesn’t expire, so be sure to save it for refills.
Retail price refers to the manufacturer’s published list price and is up to date as of 3/2023. Retail and discounted prices are U.S.-only and can vary based on region and pharmacy. We cannot guarantee that the discounted price listed here will exactly match the price at your pharmacy. Please contact your pharmacy for the exact price.
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Pricing source:Perks.optum.com
Aricept is available as the generic drug donepezil. A generic contains an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. A generic is considered just as safe and effective as the original drug but tends to cost less.
To find out how the costs of Aricept and donepezil compare, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
If you’ve been prescribed Aricept and you’re interested in trying donepezil instead, talk with your doctor. They may recommend that you take one version instead of the other. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider, as it may only cover one drug or the other.
Why is there such a cost difference between brand-name drugs and generics?Years of research and testing are needed to ensure that brand-name drugs are safe and effective. This testing can make the drugs expensive. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell the drug exclusively for up to 20 years. After that, other drugmakers can create generic versions. This competition in the market can lead to lower costs for generics. And because generics have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower generic costs.
If you take Aricept long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:
Look into getting a 90-day supply of your medication: You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Aricept if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Aricept. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Use a mail-order pharmacy to get your medication: Using a mail-order pharmacy might help lower your cost for Aricept. Plus, you could get your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order drugs. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug through mail order. 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.
If you need help covering the cost of Aricept or understanding your insurance, check out these resources:
On these pages, you can find insurance information, details on drug assistance programs, and links to savings cards and other services.
If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Aricept and cost.
How does the cost of Aricept compare with that of similar drugs, such as Namenda?
The cost of Aricept compared with the cost of Namenda (memantine) can depend on several factors.
Both Aricept and Namenda come as tablets that are taken by mouth once per day. However, the dosages of these medications to treat Alzheimer’s disease are different. So, the form of the drug that you take and your dosage may affect your cost.
Other factors that may affect how much you pay include:
- whether there are any savings programs available for the drug you’re prescribed
- whether you have insurance or are paying out of pocket
- how long your treatment lasts
If you have questions about the cost of Aricept compared with the cost of similar medications, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They can share more details on treatment costs based on your specific situation.
Is Aricept covered by Medicare?
It’s possible. To find out whether your Medicare plan covers the cost of Aricept, call your plan provider. There are many different types of Medicare plans, and your cost and coverage depend on your particular plan’s benefits.
Keep in mind that your plan may have prior authorization requirements before it’ll cover Aricept. (See the “Prior authorization” section below for more information.) And in some cases, insurance will only cover the generic form of a drug. (The generic form of Aricept is called donepezil.)
You can also ask your doctor about the cost of Aricept if you have Medicare.
How much does Aricept cost without insurance?
What you’ll pay for Aricept without insurance depends on several factors. Generally, your cost will be higher without insurance.
Factors that could affect your cost include:
- your treatment plan and dosage
- the pharmacy you choose
- the supply of medication you receive (such as a 30-day or 90-day supply)
To find out the exact cost of Aricept without insurance, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Also, you may want to check with a few pharmacies to compare prices.
You can also visit Optum Perks* to get price estimates for Aricept when you use coupons from the site. It’s important to note that Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.
* Optum Perks is a sister site of Healthline.
If you have insurance, you may need to get prior authorization before your insurance provider will cover Aricept. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Aricept in regard to your treatment. Then, the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Aricept requires prior authorization and you don’t receive it before you start treatment, you could pay the full cost of the drug.
Be sure to ask your insurance company whether Aricept requires prior authorization.
If you still have questions about the cost of Aricept, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to give you a better idea of what you’ll pay for this drug. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual price you’d pay for Aricept.
Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:
- Will my dosage of Aricept affect the cost of the drug?
- If I get a 90-day supply of Aricept, will my cost be lower than if I receive a 30-day supply?
- If I can’t afford Aricept, what are my other treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease?
To learn more about Aricept, see these articles:
- All About Aricept
- Side Effects of Aricept: What You Need to Know
- Aricept Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
- Dosage for Aricept: What You Need to Know
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Disclaimer: Healthline 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.