The price you pay for Rituxan may depend on factors such as your dosage and whether you have health insurance. Financial assistance may be available to help you with the cost of Rituxan.

Several factors can affect the price you’ll pay for Rituxan. These include:

  • your treatment plan
  • your insurance coverage
  • the cost of the visit to your healthcare professional to receive doses of Rituxan
  • available financial assistance for Rituxan (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section)

The following are answers to some frequently asked questions about Rituxan and cost.

Does the 1000-mg dose of Rituxan cost more than other doses of the drug (such as 500 mg)?

It’s not likely. Because this medication is given as an infusion by your doctor, the cost of the medication is unlikely to change based on your dose. However, this may depend on your health insurance plan (if you have one).

To find out whether your dose affects the cost, ask your insurance provider or talk with your doctor.

Is Rituxan covered by Medicare?

It’s possible. However, whether Medicare covers the cost of Rituxan depends on the type of plan you have.

To find out whether your Medicare plan covers Rituxan, call your insurance provider directly. They can tell you whether the drug is covered and what your cost will be.

What’s the cost of Rituxan with insurance vs. without it?

What you pay for Rituxan if you have insurance compared to what you’d pay without it depends on several factors.

Factors that could affect what you pay for this drug without insurance include:

  • whether you apply and qualify for any available savings programs
  • your dosage and treatment plan

These same factors may affect your price for Rituxan if you have insurance. But the price you pay with insurance will also depend on:

  • your specific plan benefits
  • any prior authorization requirements you have for drug coverage

To learn more about what you’d pay for Rituxan with or without insurance, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider (if you have one).

Rituxan is a biologic drug, which means it’s made from parts of living organisms. It comes in several biosimilar forms. Biosimilars are like generic drugs. Unlike generics, which are made for nonbiologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologic drugs. Rituxan currently has three available biosimilars: Riabni, Ruxience, and Truxima.

Why is there such a cost difference between biologic drugs and biosimilar drugs?

Biologic drugs can be expensive because of the research and testing needed to ensure their safety and effectiveness. The drugmaker of a biologic drug can sell it exclusively for up to 12 years. When the biologic drug’s patent expires, other drugmakers can create biosimilar versions. This competition in the market may lead to lower costs for biosimilars. And because biosimilars are very similar to biologic drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower costs for biosimilars.

If you need financial support to pay for Rituxan or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available. For example:

  • The manufacturer of Rituxan has several patient assistance programs. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 866-422-2377 or visit the manufacturer’s website.
  • Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:

You may want to consider the following information if you have insurance and receive Rituxan.

Prior authorization: If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Rituxan. This means the company and your doctor will discuss the drug in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether Rituxan is covered. If a drug requires prior authorization but you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Rituxan requires prior authorization.

Type of insurance coverage: Rituxan is given by your doctor or another healthcare professional. If you have insurance, the price of your Rituxan doses may be billed through your medical coverage instead of the prescription drug portion of your insurance plan. This depends on your specific insurance plan and where you receive your Rituxan doses, such as at your doctor’s office, an infusion clinic, or a hospital. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.