If you’re looking at treatment options for certain lung conditions, you may want to learn more about Symbicort.

Symbicort is a prescription drug that’s used to treat:

The active ingredients in Symbicort are budesonide and formoterol. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Symbicort comes as an inhaler with medication that you breathe in. Keep reading for details on Symbicort and cost, and how to save money on prescriptions.

Note: For more details on Symbicort, see this in-depth article.

The price you pay for Symbicort can vary. Your cost may depend on your treatment plan, the strength of Symbicort you use, your insurance coverage (if you have it), and the pharmacy you use.

To find out how much you’ll pay for Symbicort, 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 Symbicort. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Symbicort in regard to your treatment. Then the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Symbicort 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 Symbicort requires prior authorization.

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

Is there a manufacturer coupon available for Symbicort?

No, there’s no manufacturer coupon for Symbicort. But AstraZeneca has a prescription savings program for people who qualify. For more resources that could help you save on the cost of Symbicort, see the “Can I get help paying for Symbicort?” section below.

What’s the cost of Symbicort without insurance vs. with insurance?

The cost of Symbicort with insurance will depend on the type of coverage you have. You may be responsible for a copay or a percentage of the cost. The drugmaker’s website has a cost estimate tool for different insurance types.

You will usually pay more if you don’t have insurance. If you get Symbicort without insurance, your price will depend on the pharmacy you choose and the strength of the drug you’re prescribed.

For more information, you can talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Symbicort is a brand-name drug that’s also available as the generic drug budesonide/formoterol. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. A generic is considered to be just as safe and effective as the original drug.

Generics generally cost less than brand-name drugs, especially combination medications such as Symbicort.

To find out how the costs of Symbicort and budesonide/formoterol compare, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

If you’ve been prescribed Symbicort and you’re interested in using generic budesonide/formoterol instead, talk with your doctor. They may prefer that you take 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 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 Symbicort 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 Symbicort if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Symbicort. 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 Symbicort. 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 Symbicort 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. You can also check out Symbicort price estimates on the drugmaker’s website.

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 Symbicort, 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 to your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you’d pay for Symbicort.

Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:

  • If I don’t have insurance, which pharmacy will have the lowest price for Symbicort?
  • If my doctor prescribes Symbicort, can I ask the pharmacy to switch it to the generic drug?
  • Are there less expensive options than Symbicort to treat my condition?
  • Will a higher dose of Symbicort be more expensive?

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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.