The Cost of Adderall Without Insurance: What You Need to Know

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant medication. Central nervous system stimulants are the first line of medication treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) due to their efficacy. If you or your child has an Adderall prescription, you might wonder - what's the typical cost of Adderall without insurance? Perhaps more importantly, how do you lower the cost?

Many medications, including Adderall, can be expensive without insurance. However, there are things you can do to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, with or without insurance.

Let's give an overview of Adderall first, including its uses, benefits, and the forms or dosages of Adderall you might see. Then, we'll discuss and compare Adderall costs with and without insurance and tips your family can use to help reduce the price.

Overview of Adderall

Every prescription stimulant is a little bit different. Before we talk about Adderall cost without insurance vs. with insurance and how to lower the price, here's a brief overview of the popular ADHD treatment and its benefits.

Uses and benefits

Adderall is most commonly used to treat ADHD. While it has been around for longer, Adderall was first approved to treat ADHD in 1996 in the United States. It's also approved to treat Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. While there are potential side effects, Adderall is considered safe and effective when used as directed by healthcare professionals. Like most other ADHD medications, Adderall is considered safe for long-term usage, and generic versions are available, which often lowers the cost.

Benefits of Adderall for people with ADHD include but aren't limited to:

• Increased productivity.
• Better attention and focus.
• Reduction in impulsive behaviors.
• High efficacy rate. 

Taking Adderall can also promote better emotion regulation and mood in people with ADHD. Likely, this is due to well-managed ADHD symptoms. ADHD symptoms can have a severe and detrimental impact on your life, social relationships, mental state, and overall well-being if they aren't treated.

While some parents are concerned about the potential for Adderall abuse, taking ADHD medication is actually linked to a decreased risk of drug abuse in people with ADHD. Without proper treatment, people with ADHD are more likely to self-medicate through unhealthy behaviors and drug use.

Common dosages and forms

Kids aged 6+ usually start with a dose of 5mg Adderall 1-2x daily. Then, a medical professional will increase the dose or frequency (up to 3x per day) until their symptoms are stable and the medication has reached optimal efficacy. Your child's Adderall dose may also increase with age. Similarly, if you have a young child aged 3-5, the standard starting dose is lower at 2.5mg.

Adderall comes in two forms: Extended release (XR) and immediate release (IR). Many people and providers prefer Adderall XR: If your child takes Adderall XR, their prescription will likely call for a once-daily dose rather than 1-3 doses of Adderall IR. Adderall XR comes in capsule form, but Adderall XR is an oral tablet.

Adderall comes in 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg doses. 

Adderall XR comes in 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 25 mg, and 30 mg doses. 

Cost of Adderall with Insurance

Answering the question, "How much does Adderall cost?" can be challenging. The answer depends on several factors, such as whether a person takes Generic Adderall (or Generic Adderall XR) or brand name Adderall. Additionally, insurance plans vary greatly in their prescription medication coverage and copayments.

Typical coverage and copay amounts

A co-pay, or "co-payment," refers to a set amount you pay for services like a doctor's visit or prescription drug once insurance is applied. Let's say that your co-pay for a pediatrician or primary care doctor's visit is $20 with your insurance plan. Medications are similar. 

Insurance plans use different tiers to determine how much of a drug's cost they'll cover. The lower the tier, the lower the cost. Tier 1 drugs typically include generics and low-cost medications. Your insurance card should say your co-pay amount or percentage.

Call your preferred pharmacy before you pick up your or your child's Adderall prescription to find out your exact co-pay amount. If you use the pharmacy regularly, they’ll have your information on file.

Your pharmacist might also have a suggestion for lowering the cost; for example, they’ll often be able to look up and apply the coupon that will help reduce your out-of-pocket Adderall costs the most. Coupons can reduce your Adderall or Adderall XR cost without or with insurance. 

Factors that can affect Adderall price with insurance

Even with health insurance coverage, the cost of Adderall can vary quite a bit. Here are three factors that affect prescription drug costs substantially:

• The specific health insurance plan you have.
• The pharmacy you choose (e.g., CVS vs. Walmart).
• The type of Adderall prescribed (e.g., Adderall vs. Adderall XR cost may differ).

Additionally, your insurance plan is more likely to cover a generic drug than the brand name version.

Cost of Adderall Without Insurance

According to Single Care, brand name Adderall can cost up to almost $400/month for a monthly supply of 20 mg tablets in 2024. Even without insurance, a quick way to lower the cost of Adderall is to ask your pharmacy for a lower-cost generic version of the drug. Generic medications contain the same active ingredients and are equally as effective as the name brand version. You can also use free coupons, like those on the Good RX website, which are available online and at many pharmacies.

Financial assistance programs are another option. Most prescription drug manufacturers offer financial assistance programs, called patient assistance programs (PAPs), for people with prescriptions who can't afford the cost. TEVA, the manufacturer of Adderall, has assistance programs that may help you cover medication costs. 

Patient assistance programs can be particularly helpful if the only or most effective medication treatment plan for you involves a name-brand medication that is high in cost. Some people find that this is the case as they work to find the right ADHD medication for themselves or their child. 

Comparison of Cost with and Without Insurance

Prescription drugs are considered essential services under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which means that health insurance plans must offer prescription drug coverage. This does not mean your insurance plan will automatically cover every medication you’re prescribed. Here is a comparison of how much your costs can differ with and without medication. 

Cost savings with insurance

People with health insurance might pay as little as $0-10/month for generic Adderall at pharmacies that accept their insurance plan. If your insurance company does not want to pay for Adderall initially, it’s usually possible to make an appeal so that they will. 

Your child's healthcare provider may be willing to help make a case for why they need a specific medication (e.g. because it’s the most effective and other, less expensive medications didn’t work). While you’ll have to wait for another prior authorization, this is a valid and worthwhile way to lower your Adderall price.

Potential drawbacks of paying out-of-pocket

People without insurance might pay hundreds of dollars per month to cover their or their child’s Adderall prescription cost, which is the primary drawback of paying out-of-pocket. Since coupons can often be paired with insurance plans for an even lower price, people who aren’t able to use insurance still tend to pay far more than they otherwise would.

Conclusion

Prescription stimulants like Adderall are some of the most common ADHD medications. A combination of central nervous system stimulants like Adderall and behavior therapy is the first line of ADHD treatment for people with ADHD aged 6+. Like other prescription drugs, stimulant medications can be expensive at U.S. pharmacies without insurance.

There are ways to lower the cost of prescription stimulant drugs like Adderall. For example, opting for the generic version of a drug over the brand name version, which your insurance company is more likely to cover, and using coupons that lower the retail price. It's important to explore all of your options so that you or your child can access the most effective ADHD treatment possible.

Joon is another excellent resource for families coping with ADHD. In the Joon Parent app, adults assign tasks (called "Quests") to their child. For example, household chores or homework. When the child completes each task, they get a reward that allows them to care for a virtual pet in a separate, child-safe app called Joon Pet Game.

90% of kids who use Joon finish all of their tasks.

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