Mekinist (trametinib) is a prescription drug that treats specific cancers, including skin, lung, thyroid, and brain. Mekinist’s cost may depend on your dosage, whether you have health insurance, the pharmacy you use, and other factors.

The price you pay for Mekinist 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 Mekinist, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Mekinist and cost.

How do Tafinlar’s and Mekinist’s costs compare?

The costs for Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist depend on several factors. Each drug comes in a different form and strength, which can affect the costs.

Their dosages are also different. Doctors prescribe Tafinlar to take twice per day and Mekinist to take once per day.

To learn more about how the cost of these drugs compare, speak with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

How can prescribing Mekinist and Tafinlar together affect the cost?

Mekinist is approved for several uses. For many of these uses, doctors also prescribe Tafinlar to be taken with Mekinist. Taking these products together increases cost because you need to buy both medications.

Before taking these medications together, you may need prior authorization from your insurer. If either drug requires prior authorization and you don’t receive it before you start treatment, you could pay the full cost of the drug. See the “Prior authorization” section below for more information.

Your doctor can discuss whether they recommend prescribing Mekinist alone or with Tafinlar.

Mekinist comes only as a brand-name drug. It’s not currently available in a generic version. A generic contains an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication but tends to cost less.

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 also can lead to lower generic costs.

If you take Mekinist 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 Mekinist if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Mekinist. If you’re interested in 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 Mekinist. 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 Mekinist 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 Mekinist or understanding your insurance, check out these resources:

On these pages, you can find insurance information and details on drug assistance programs. You can also find 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 have insurance, you may need to get prior authorization before your insurance provider will cover Mekinist. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Mekinist in regard to your treatment. Then, the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Mekinist 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 Mekinist requires prior authorization.

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.