If you’re looking at treatment options for prostate cancer, you may want to learn more about Zytiga (abiraterone acetate). It’s a prescription drug used in adults to treat metastatic prostate cancer that is either of the following:

  • high risk castration-sensitive (responds to testosterone-lowering therapy but needs more aggressive treatment), or
  • castration-resistant (does not respond to testosterone-lowering therapy)

Zytiga comes as a film-coated tablet and an uncoated tablet that you swallow.

Keep reading for details on Zytiga and cost, and how to save money on prescriptions.

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

The price you pay for Zytiga can vary. It 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 Zytiga, 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 Zytiga. This means your insurer and your doctor will discuss Zytiga in regard to your treatment. Then the insurance company will determine whether the drug is covered. If Zytiga 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 Zytiga requires prior authorization.

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

What’s the cost of Zytiga with Medicare?

What you’ll pay for Zytiga with Medicare depends on which plan you have, whether it includes drug coverage, and what your specific benefits are. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or a Medicare representative to find out what your exact cost will be.

Does the price of Zytiga depend on the tablet strength (250 mg vs. 500 mg)?

The 500-milligram (mg) strength tablets could be more expensive depending on whether you have insurance and what pharmacy you use. You may need a different quantity of tablets for your dose, though. And this may make the price for the 250-mg tablets similar to that of the 500-mg tablets.

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

Zytiga will likely be less expensive with insurance than without it. But this depends on the details of your insurance benefits and may depend on whether you’ve already met your deductible. Sometimes it may be less expensive to use a coupon instead of insurance.

Talk with your pharmacist and insurance company (if you have insurance) about what your cost of Zytiga would be with and without insurance.

Zytiga is available as the generic drug abiraterone acetate. 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 and generally costs less than brand-name drugs.

To find out how the costs of Zytiga and abiraterone acetate compare, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. If you’ve been prescribed Zytiga and you’re interested in taking abiraterone acetate instead, talk with your doctor. They may prefer that you take one version instead of the other. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider since 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 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 take Zytiga 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 Zytiga if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of the drug. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of Zytiga, 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 Zytiga. 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 Zytiga 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, coupons, or 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 Zytiga, 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 Zytiga.

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

  • What are my options if I can’t afford my medication?
  • Are there other lower cost drugs that could treat my condition?
  • Are there coupons that could help cover the cost of Zytiga?

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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.