Klonopin is the brand name of the generic medication Clonazepam which is a benzodiazepine that affects unbalanced chemicals in the brain. It is a scheduled medication to protect users from potential abuse. Today, physicians prescribe Klonopin for the prevention and treatment of seizure disorders including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, panic disorders like agoraphobia, and akathisia which is a movement disorder characterized by restlessness and an extreme urge to move.
While physicians most commonly prescribe Klonopin for the treatment of epilepsy and seizures, your health care provider may also recommend that you take Klonopin for other conditions. If this is the case, you need information about how Klonopin works and whether your Medicare benefits cover the cost of this prescription drug.
The Uses for Klonopin
Klonopin, and all other benzodiazepines, are known as sedative-hypnotic drugs. They work by increasing the neurotransmitter GABA and calming the brain’s electric signals. These actions in the brain often result in anxiety relief, anti-convulsion, muscle relaxation, and prevention or reduction in severity of seizures.
Mental health physicians sometimes prescribe Klonopin to treat severe panic disorders or together with anti-psychotic drugs that may cause restlessness or akathisia. Some physicians prescribe it for insomnia.
If your health care provider prescribes Klonopin for you, you must follow the treatment plan and work closely with your physician. Be sure to inform your doctor if you have any side effects or concerns about taking this, or any, medication.
If your health care provider has suggested that Klonopin may help relieve symptoms of a disorder that is disrupting your life, you may have Medicare coverage through your prescription drug plan. If you are not sure, you can call your insurance provider and find out whether Klonopin is included on your provider’s formulary.
Costs and Medicare Coverage of Klonopin
Where you live and which pharmacy you visit may affect the price of your prescription for Klonopin. The national average cost for a 30-day supply of Klonopin is approximately $15.00 for 0.5 mg tablets, $18.00 for 1mg tablets, and $22.00 for 2mg tablets.
If you have either a Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan that includes prescription drug coverage, you may have help paying for brand-name drugs like Klonopin or its generic counterpart Clonazepam.
Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage will have their own formulary. This is a list of the drugs that they cover. These lists are also separated into “tiers” of pricing. The final cost of your medication depends on which tier the policy has placed the drug. Tier one drugs are generally the generic drugs and may have the lowest copayment. Tier two drugs include brand-name drugs that are preferred drugs and they have a mid-level copayment. Drugs that are categorized in tier three are non-preferred brand-name drugs and carry a higher copayment. Costs and coverage can vary from plan to plan.
Your final cost for your prescribed drug depends on whether your prescription drug insurance policy includes the drug on its formulary and how much the policy charges for the copayment and coinsurance. If your plan has a deductible, you must pay this also. And the final cost influences are where you live, what pharmacy you use, and if you use the Extra Help program through Medicare.
Related articles:
Does Medicare Cover 24-Hour Home Health Care?(Opens in a new browser tab)
Does Medicare Cover Paramedic Services?(Opens in a new browser tab)