The drug Tepezza is prescribed for patients with thyroid eye disease (TED), a health problem that often affects your immune system by attacking the muscle and tissue behind your eyes.
Tepezza is administered intravenously and is usually given every three weeks; the treatment usually does not last longer than five months and is administered in a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office.
Price of Tepezza when purchased with insurance
Tepezza intravenous powder is usually prescribed in 500 mg presentation; its general price is $15,997 without insurance. It contains one powder for one dose, although the price may change according to the pharmacy where you purchase it.
In patient assistance programs, you can receive the drug for $49 per month; you will need to fill out a form to verify that you have the profile required for the insurance. You can complete the entire process online to verify eligibility.
When you apply for Tepezza through your health insurance, the company must alert the pharmaceutical institutions to provide you with the treatment free of charge. Of course, if you are up to date with your insurance payments, you can apply for this benefit.
If you have health insurance with one of the popular companies in the country, you should ask if there is a discount on the medication. This changes according to the policies of each insurance company.
Likewise, the discount on the medication price varies from insurance company to insurance company, so before applying for the medication, you should call an agent of your health insurance company and check if you will get a different price.
How can you be eligible for a Tepezza patient assistance program?
If you have insurance but do not have enough coverage to pay for medication, patient assistance programs are always a good option. Most have basic requirements such as:
- You must be a legal resident of the United States; often, it is also available to citizens of Puerto Rico
- Not having insurance or not having the necessary coverage to cover the payment of the medicines
The rest will be income requirements for each program; most of these benefits are offered by pharmaceutical companies aware of the difficulty of acquiring the medication for people with limited resources.
Is there a drug that can replace Tepezza?
According to specialists, this is the most effective drug to treat thyroid eye disease; now, no other drugs have been found that can substitute it to offer more affordable treatment.
It is considered that a patient with TED has a total treatment cost of around $22,000, usually administered for five to six months. Many patients have requested a generic drug with the same advantages, but this has not been achieved.
Tepezza has an active drug called teprotumumab; it belongs to the factor 1 receptor inhibitor drugs. It is a medicine made from living cells to treat the health problem.
It is the only drug approved by the FDA to treat this disease; many studies evidenced that it is the most efficient to treat the issue and prevent further damage if it continues to progress in patients.
Does this medicine have side effects?
Suppose this is the first time you take it. In that case, you should be prepared for side effects ranging from muscle spasms or cramps to hair loss, nausea, tiredness, diarrhea, hearing issues, high sugar levels, headache, dry skin, changes in taste, and menstruation.
All of these are normal effects of the medication; however, if they become more intense after the second dose, you should inform your doctor to take the necessary precautions in case of an allergic reaction.
Medications of this style usually have side effects; before administering them, ask your doctor for all the required information.