How Much is Lexapro With & Without Insurance?

Published on: 30 Mar 2023
Clinically Reviewed by Olga Molina, D.S.W., LCSW
How Much is Lexapro With & Without Insurance

Lexapro has been proven in clinical studies to be effective in treating conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents and adults. The cost of this effective drug can vary widely and depend on several factors, like whether you have insurance or not. On average, the cost of Lexapro without insurance can range from $56 – $503 for a 30-day supply. The cost may also vary whether you get Lexapro online or at a pharmacy. 

When you find out how much is Lexapro without insurance vs with, you can make a more informed decision about your mental health care.  

Is Lexapro Covered With Insurance?

The answer to this question depends on your health insurance plan. Most major health insurers cover mental health treatment, including medications like Lexapro. 

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However, coverage will change from one insurer to another. To determine if your specific health plan covers Lexapro, you can contact your insurance provider directly and ask about drug coverage for mental health treatments and medications. Even with insurance, paying at least a small amount for Lexapro is common. 

You can also contact the pharmacy you use to have them run your insurance and give you a price. 

Cost of Lexapro Without Insurance

How much is Lexapro without insurance? Unfortunately, when determining the cost of Lexapro without insurance, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The price will depend on several factors. 

As of December 2022, the cost of a 30-day supply of Lexapro at various pharmacies without insurance was:

PharmacyLexapro (brand name)Escitalopram (generic)
CVS$468$56
Rite Aid$533$120
Walgreens$488$61
Walmart$452$15

Factors that can affect the price of Lexapro include:

Quantity

The quantity of medication plays an essential role in determining cost. Generally speaking, buying larger quantities might mean paying less per pill since drug companies typically offer discounts for bulk purchases. That said, getting more of this type of drug isn’t always an option.

Which pharmacy you use

Believe it or not, the pharmacy you use directly affects how much you spend on medications like Lexapro. Participating pharmacies charge different prices because of overhead and agreements with pharmaceutical companies. 

In short, it pays to shop around if you want to get the best deal on your drugs. Sometimes simply changing pharmacies can save you hundreds — or even thousands — on drug costs. 

Generic or brand name

Generic medications cost significantly less than brand-name options. Ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version of Lexapro, Escitalopram.

Cost of Lexapro With Insurance

Regarding Lexapro cost with insurance, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The price of this medication differs, depending on things like:

  • Your plan
  • Your deductible
  • The pharmacy you use
  • If you get generic or brand name
  • Your copay or coinsurance

How to Get Lexapro Without Insurance

  1. Talk to your doctor: Before attempting to get Lexapro without insurance, you still need to talk with your doctor and acquire medical advice. They can assess your condition and needs and determine if Lexapro is right for you. They also can discuss if any alternative medications might be worth trying.
  2. Research pharmacy prices: Since different pharmacies charge different prices for the same medication, it’s essential to research and compare prices.  
  3. Look into patient assistance programs: There are a lot of patient assistance programs out there. These programs provide free or discounted medications for people who qualify based on income level or other criteria such as age, health condition, etc. Assistant programs can be an excellent way for you to get Lexapro without insurance coverage at an affordable cost (sometimes even for free).
  4. Use coupons and discounts: Discount and coupon cards can significantly reduce the cost of Lexapro without insurance — some even offer up to 80% off prescription medication. Most pharmacies accept manufacturer’s coupons from drug makers, also lowering the cost.
  5. Ask for generic: There is a generic alternative to Lexapro — Escitalopram can potentially save you hundreds of dollars a month.  

Affordable Online Mental Health Treatment

Online mental health treatment can be an affordable and effective way to get the help and psychiatrist prescribed medication you need. Talkspace Psychiatry is a leading provider of online therapy services, offering comprehensive care for anyone dealing with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, or trauma. 

With Talkspace Psychiatry, you can access quality online psychiatrists from the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the cost of psychiatrists in person. Looking for online psychiatrists that take insurance? Talkspace is covered by a number of mental healthcare providers and insurance companies, including Cigna, Medicare, Anthem, Aetna, and more.

With your psychiatrist, you can discuss your medication options, review the safety of taking medication like the side effects of Lexapro or the interaction of Lexapro and alcohol. Learn more about Talkspace today, so that you can get on a path of self care and mental well-being. 

Sources:

  1. DailyMed – LEXAPRO- escitalopram tablet, film coated LEXAPRO- escitalopram solution. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=13bb8267-1cab-43e5-acae-55a4d957630a. Accessed February 6, 2023. 

Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.

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