Budesonide And Cost: Generic, Brand Names, And More

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Overview of budesonide

Budesonide is a generic prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to treat the following conditions:

mild to moderate active Crohn’s disease in certain people
asthma
hay fever and allergies
mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis

For more information about budesonide extended-release tablet uses, refer to this article.

Drug details

Here are some details about budesonide:

Drug class: corticosteroids
Drug forms: oral tablet, oral capsule, nasal spray, liquid suspension that’s inhaled using a nebulizer, dry powder for oral inhalation
Brand-name versions: Entocort EC, Ortikos (for Crohn’s disease), Pulmicort Flexhaler, Pulmicort Respules (for asthma), Rhinocort, Rhinocort Allergy (for hay fever and allergies), Uceris (for ulcerative colitis)

Read on to learn about budesonide and cost, as well as how to save money on prescriptions.

Budesonide cost

As with all medications, the cost of budesonide can vary. Factors that may affect the price you’ll pay include your treatment plan, your insurance coverage, and the pharmacy you use.

To find out what the cost of budesonide will be for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Common questions about cost and budesonide

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about drug cost and budesonide.

How much does budesonide liquid suspension for inhalation cost? Is this used with an inhaler or nebulizer?

The cost of the budesonide liquid suspension for inhalation depends on many factors, such as the pharmacy you use and your insurance coverage.

This liquid suspension form is used with a nebulizer, which is a device that changes liquid into a mist for you to inhale. If you have insurance, it may cover part or all of the nebulizer cost.

You may have additional questions about the cost of budesonide liquid suspension and nebulizers. You can talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider about these.

I’m taking budesonide 3-mg capsules. Will my costs vary based on my dosage?

Possibly. If you use a higher dosage of budesonide, such as 9 milligrams (mg), you’ll need more capsules than you would for a lower dosage. A higher number of capsules typically costs more than a lower number.

To find out more about the cost of budesonide 3-mg capsules, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

How much does budesonide nasal spray cost?

It depends. Budesonide nasal spray is available over the counter (OTC). You can compare prices at your local pharmacies and grocery stores.

Some insurance providers may cover the OTC version of budesonide nasal spray as well as the brand name version Rhinocort Allergy.

To find out more about the cost of budesonide nasal spray, talk with your pharmacist or insurance provider.

Is budesonide taken with formoterol? If so, what’s the cost of this treatment?

Some medications contain both budesonide and formoterol, and the cost varies.

The brand-name drug Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol) is used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). The brand-name drug Breztri Aerosphere (budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate) is used to treat COPD. There’s also a generic version of Symbicort called budesonide/formoterol for treatment of asthma and COPD.

The cost you will pay depends on several factors, including which pharmacy you use and the type of insurance coverage you may have.

To find out what the cost of budesonide with formoterol will be for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

What’s the cost of budesonide without insurance?

The cost of budesonide will depend on what form you take, as well as your dosage. Medication often costs more without insurance than with insurance.

To find out what the cost of budesonide is without insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Generic vs. brand-name drugs

Budesonide is a generic drug that is available in brand-name forms called EntocortEC, Ortikos, Pulmicort Flexhaler, Pulmicort Respules, Rhinocort, Rhinocort Allergy, and Uceris. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

To find out how the cost of the brand-name drugs mentioned above compare with the cost of budesonide, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

If your doctor has prescribed budesonide and you’re interested in using one of the brand names instead, talk with your doctor. They may have a preference for one version or the other. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider, as it may only cover one or the other.

Ways to reduce long-term drug costs

If you take budesonide long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:

Getting a 3-month supply

You may be able to get a 90-day supply of budesonide. If approved by your insurance company, getting a 90-day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor or insurance provider.

Using a mail-order pharmacy

Budesonide may be available through a mail-order pharmacy. Using this type of service may help lower the drug’s cost and allow you to receive your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order medications. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug via 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.

Financial and insurance assistance

If you need financial support to pay for budesonide, consider looking into websites that offer cost resources and information. Two such organizations are:

Medicine Assistance Tool
NeedyMeds

These sites can provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services.

Optum Perks is owned by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

Next steps

Now that you’ve learned about cost and budesonide, you may still have some questions. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist, who can provide personalized guidance on cost issues related to you and budesonide. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you would pay for budesonide.

Here are some other resources you may find helpful:

Medicare drug coverage. To learn about Medicare coverage for drugs, see these articles about Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, drug coupons and Medicare, and the Medicare drug list.
Save money. Explore this article for tips about how to save money on prescriptions.
More details. For details about other aspects of budesonide extended-release oral tablets, refer to this article.
Information about your condition. For more information about asthma or allergies, see ourasthma and allergies hub. These lists of articles about asthma and allergies may also be helpful. For details about Crohn’s disease, see these related articles. And for details about ulcerative colitis, see these related articles.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today 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.

Allergy
Asthma
Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn's / IBD
Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Drugs

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Budesonide capsule, coated pellets. (2021).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a37866df-df07-4f71-8591-98c2804c4794
Budesonide spray, metered. (2021).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=1c4bdbe3-f3d1-8dac-83ee-b31be5acf6c9
Budesonide suspension. (2021).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a39fbcfc-3ffd-44bd-b882-01f8e1844213
Drugs@FDA: FDA-approved drugs. (n.d.).https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/

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Medically reviewed by Tanya Kertsman, PharmD — Written by Lindsay Bebout, PharmD on October 24, 2021

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Overview of budesonide

Drug details

Budesonide cost

Common questions about cost and budesonide

How much does budesonide liquid suspension for inhalation cost? Is this used with an inhaler or nebulizer?

I’m taking budesonide 3-mg capsules. Will my costs vary based on my dosage?

How much does budesonide nasal spray cost?

Is budesonide taken with formoterol? If so, what’s the cost of this treatment?

What’s the cost of budesonide without insurance?

Generic vs. brand-name drugs

Ways to reduce long-term drug costs

Getting a 3-month supply

Using a mail-order pharmacy

Financial and insurance assistance

Next steps

How we reviewed this article:

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