Naproxen and Cost: What You Need to Know

Naproxen is a generic prescription drug that’s used to treat pain and inflammation (swelling and damage) from certain conditions. Naproxen’s cost may depend on factors such as the form you’re prescribed, whether you have health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.

Naproxen is used in adults and certain children to treat:

• osteoarthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• ankylosing spondylitis
• polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• tendinitis
• bursitis
• gout
• mild to moderate pain
• pain from menstrual periods

Naproxen is available as naproxen and naproxen sodium. (The main difference between these drugs is that naproxen sodium is more rapidly absorbed.)

Naproxen comes as three kinds of tablets and as a liquid suspension (a type of liquid mixture), all of which you take by mouth. Naproxen is also available as the brand-name drugs Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox DS, and EC-Naprosyn.

For more details on naproxen, see this in-depth article.

The price you pay for naproxen can vary. Your cost may depend on your treatment plan, the form of naproxen you’re prescribed, your insurance coverage, and the pharmacy you use.

Major health insurance companies have faced legal trouble over their claim denial practices. In February 2018, the insurance commissioner of California announced plans to investigate Aetna’s coverage denial practices after a former medical director of the insurance company admitted that he never once looked at a patient’s medical records when deciding whether to deny claims over the three years he worked in the position, according to CNN.

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

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

Does the 500-mg strength of naproxen cost more than the 375-mg strength?

It’s possible. This depends on the form of naproxen you’re prescribed.

This drug is available as naproxen or naproxen sodium, which come in three kinds of tablets in strengths of 375 milligrams (mg) and 500 mg. Your cost for either of these strengths will depend on which tablet you’re prescribed.

Other factors that may affect your cost include:

• your dosage
• whether you have insurance or are paying out of pocket
• the pharmacy you use
• whether you’re eligible for any savings programs

Your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider can tell you the exact cost of your prescription.

Is there a coupon available for naproxen?

It’s possible. If you don’t have insurance, you may be able to use pharmacy coupons to lower your cost for naproxen. Although the various manufacturers of naproxen and naproxen sodium don’t provide coupons, you can check with your pharmacy to see whether it has a coupon available.

For more resources that could help you save on naproxen, see the “Can I get help paying for naproxen?” section below.

Naproxen is a generic drug. This means it’s 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, but it usually costs less.

Naproxen comes in brand-name versions called Naprosyn, EC-Naprosyn, Anaprox DS, and Naprelan. To find out how the costs of these brand-name versions compare with naproxen or naproxen sodium, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

If you’ve been prescribed naproxen or naproxen sodium and you’re interested in using a brand-name version 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 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 naproxen 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 naproxen if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of naproxen. 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 naproxen. 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 naproxen 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.