Clindamycin is a generic prescription drug that’s used to treat certain bacterial infections. Clindamycin’s cost may depend on factors such as your dosage, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.
Clindamycin is used in adults and certain children to treat acne and certain bacterial infections, including infections of the:
Clindamycin comes in several forms, including:
- topical forms that you apply to your skin: foam, gel, swab, and lotion
- oral forms that you swallow: capsule and liquid solution
- forms that are applied to or inserted in the vagina: vaginal cream and vaginal suppository
- a liquid solution that’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion* or injection into a muscle
The drug is also available as the brand-name drugs Cleocin, Clinda-Derm, Cleocin-T, Clindagel, Clindesse, and Xaciato.
For more details on Clindamycin, see this in-depth article.
* An IV infusion is an injection into a vein given over time.
The price you pay for clindamycin can vary. Your cost may depend on your treatment plan, your insurance coverage, the form of clindamycin you’re prescribed, and the pharmacy you use. And if you’re receiving clindamycin as an intravenous (IV) infusion or injection into a muscle, you may have additional charges for its administration.
To find out how much you’ll pay for clindamycin, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Note: If you have insurance, you may need to get prior authorization before your insurance provider will cover clindamycin. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss clindamycin in regard to your treatment. Then the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If clindamycin 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 clindamycin requires prior authorization.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about clindamycin and cost.
Does clindamycin topical gel cost more than its 300-mg oral capsule?
It’s possible. The gel comes in a tube, and the capsules come in a container, usually with 30 or more capsules, depending on your prescription. But what you’d pay in total for either form of clindamycin depends on various factors, including:
- your dosage and length of your treatment plan
- whether you have insurance coverage or are paying out of pocket
- the pharmacy you use
To learn more about how the cost of clindamycin topical gel compares with the cost of the 300-mg capsules, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And if you have health insurance, you can also talk with your insurance provider for more information.
How much does clindamycin cost without insurance?
The cost of clindamycin without insurance depends on several factors. But in general, your cost will be higher without insurance.
Your cost may depend on factors such as:
- the pharmacy you choose
- the form of clindamycin you’re prescribed
- your dosage and length of treatment
- whether you qualify for any savings programs
- whether a healthcare professional needs to administer the clindamycin
To find out the exact cost of clindamycin 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 clindamycin when you use coupons from the site. For example:
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.
Clindamycin is a generic drug. 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.
Clindamycin is available as the brand-name drugs Cleocin, Cleocin T, Clinda-Derm, Clindagel, Clindesse, and Xaciato. To find out how the costs of these brand-name drugs and clindamycin compare, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
If you’ve been prescribed clindamycin and you’re interested in a brand-name drug instead, talk with your doctor. They may prefer one version instead of the other. In addition, you’ll need to check with your insurance provider. This is because 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 use clindamycin 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 clindamycin if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of clindamycin. 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 clindamycin. 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 clindamycin or understanding your insurance, check out these resources:
On these sites, 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.
If you still have questions about the cost of clindamycin, 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 cost you’d pay for clindamycin.
Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:
- How does the cost of clindamycin oral capsule compare with other medications available to treat an infection?
- Are there cost differences between clindamycin topical gel and the topical cream?
- What are my options if I can’t afford clindamycin?
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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.