Tymlos (abaloparatide) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat osteoporosis. The cost of Tymlos may depend on factors such as your dosage, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.
Tymlos (abaloparatide) is used to treat osteoporosis in:
- females* who have gone through menopause and have a high risk of fractures
- males* who have a high risk of fractures
- adults who can’t take or whose condition hasn’t responded to other treatments for osteoporosis
Tymlos comes as a liquid solution inside a prefilled auto-injector pen. Each dose is given as an injection under the skin.
The active ingredient in Tymlos is abaloparatide. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)
For more details on Tymlos, see this in-depth article.
* In this article, we use the terms “female” and “male” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.
The price you pay for Tymlos can vary. Your cost may depend on your insurance coverage (if you have it) and the pharmacy you use. It will also depend on how much you have to pay for an office visit if you receive Tymlos at your doctor’s office.
If you use Tymlos, you may also need to buy pen needles.
To find out how much you’ll pay for Tymlos, 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 Tymlos. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Tymlos in regard to your treatment. Then the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Tymlos 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 Tymlos requires prior authorization.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Tymlos and cost.
Is Tymlos covered by Medicare?
Possibly. Whether Tymlos is covered by Medicare will depend on your specific plan for prescription drug coverage. If you have questions about coverage for Tymlos, contact your Medicare plan provider.
Does the manufacturer of Tymlos have cost assistance programs available?
Yes. The manufacturer of Tymlos has a patient support program that includes:
- a savings card that you may be eligible for if you have private insurance
- a program called Radius Assist that may offer financial assistance
Tymlos only comes as a brand-name drug. It’s not currently available in a generic version. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
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 drugmaker 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’ll be taking Tymlos for more than a few months,* you may be able to lower your cost of the drug by getting a 90-day supply.
You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Tymlos if approved by your insurance company. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
* Tymlos should not be taken for more than 2 years.
If you need help covering the cost of Tymlos 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 Tymlos, 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 Tymlos.
Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:
- Are there other medications I can take if I can’t afford Tymlos?
- What should I do if my insurance doesn’t cover Tymlos?
- How long should I expect to take Tymlos?
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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.