Key Takeaways

  • Stelara is a prescription medication used to treat autoimmune conditions including psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis.
  • The cost of Stelara can vary depending on factors such as the form of the drug you’re prescribed, your overall treatment plan, and your insurance coverage.
  • Although biosimilar versions of Stelara have been approved by the FDA, they are not yet available. (Biosimilars are similar to generic drugs.) Stelara is currently only available as a brand-name drug.

Several factors can affect the price you’ll pay for Stelara (ustekinumab). These include:

  • your treatment plan
  • your insurance coverage
  • the pharmacy you use, if injecting the drug at home
  • the cost of the visit to your healthcare professional to receive doses of Stelara, if relevant
  • any equipment you may need to purchase to inject the drug at home, such as antiseptic wipes or a sharps container
  • available financial assistance for Stelara (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section)

Stelara may need to be purchased through a specialty pharmacy authorized to carry specialty drugs. This type of drug may be costly or require help from healthcare professionals to be taken safely and effectively. For more details about how to obtain Stelara, talk with your doctor.

To find out your cost for Stelara, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Stelara and cost.

How much do Stelara injections cost without insurance and with insurance?

The price you pay for Stelara may vary depending on whether you have health insurance. If you have insurance, you can contact your insurance provider to find out what your out-of-pocket costs, such as a copay, may be for Stelara. If you don’t have insurance, ask your doctor or pharmacist if they can provide more information about cost.

Does Medicare cover the cost of Stelara?

What you’ll play for Stelara depends on your specific Medicare plan. It may also depend on whether you receive your dose at the doctor’s office or give yourself injections at home. If you have questions about your cost for Stelara with Medicare, talk with your doctor or contact your Medicare plan provider.

Stelara only comes as a brand-name drug. Stelara is a biologic medication (meaning it’s made from living cells), and it’s not currently available in a biosimilar version. A biosimilar is like a generic version of a biologic drug. Like generics, biosimilars tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following biosimilar versions of Stelara, but they aren’t yet available to prescribe:

  • Pyzchiva (ustekinumab-ttwe)
  • Selarsdi (ustekinumab-aekn)
  • Wezlana (ustekinumab-auub)

Note: The reason a four-letter suffix appears at the end of each biosimilar’s name is to show that it’s distinct from similar medications that may be created in the future.

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 manufacturer of a biologic drug can sell it exclusively for up to 12 years.

When the biologic drug’s patent expires, other drugmakers can market 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 Stelara or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available. For example:

  • A program called Stelara withMe is available through the drug manufacturer. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 844-494-8463 or visit the program website. In addition, check out this list of resources from the drug’s manufacturer for help paying for Stelara.
  • 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 use Stelara.

Prior authorization: If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Stelara. This means the company and your doctor will discuss the drug in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether Stelara 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 Stelara requires prior authorization.

Type of insurance coverage: Some people may receive Stelara doses from their doctor or another healthcare professional. If you have insurance, the price of your Stelara 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 Stelara 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.