How Much Does Phentermine Cost?

One of the main reasons for phentermine’s enduring popularity is its cost. It’s the most affordable drug in its class and remains the most-commonly prescription appetite suppressant in the US (1, 2 ).

Still, for people on a tight budget, the fact that many insurance companies choose not to cover anti-obesity drugs like phentermine, or only cover them in specific cases, proves problematic.

Thankfully, there are several ways to buy phentermine for less – even if insurance does not cover it.

Is Phentermine Covered by Insurance?

Some insurance companies cover phentermine as a treatment for obesity, but most do not.

Experts estimate that about one third of insurance companies cover all FDA-approved weight loss medications, another third cover some drugs in some cases, while the remaining third do not cover any pharmaceutical therapy for obesity ( 3 ).

Medicaid and other government insurance programs do NOT cover phentermine or any other anti-obesity medication in most states ( 4 ).

Lack of insurance coverage for weight loss medications is related to:

1. Money

Weight loss significantly improves health outcomes for the vast majority of patients, but insurance companies may not see those savings for years to come. So, profit-driven insurance companies, especially those with high patient turnover, are often hesitant to cover preventative treatments like weight loss medications.

2. Safety Concerns

The US Preventative Task Force repeatedly fails to recommend pharmaceuticals as an advisable treatment for obesity in the primary care setting ( 5 ). A number of experts other experts also believe that the risk of serious side effects from phentermine far outweighs any potential benefit. So, safety concerns in the absence of proven efficacy act as another barrier to more-universal insurance coverage.

3. Reputation

Finally,weight loss medications have a reputation problem too. Doctors and insurance companies both remember past diet pill debacles and remain overly-cautious about encouraging their use ( 3 ).

The Phen-Fen crisis of the late 1990s – wherein multiple patients died of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and heart valve irregularities after taking a combination of phentermine and [now-discontinued] fenfluramine – is still fresh in many experts’ minds ( 6 ).

As a result, many providers (and insurance companies) are hesitant to endorse any new prescription diet pills wholeheartedly.

Given the scarcity of insurance coverage for anti-obesity medications, research insurance coverage before going in for a weight loss consult.

If your insurance plan does not cover phentermine, ask your doctor to prescribe a more affordable, generic pill instead of a brand-name option like Adipex-P or Lomaira.

How Much is Phentermine Without Insurance?

Without a prescription, a month’s worth of phentermine costs anywhere from $30 to over $200, depending on the brand, form, and dosage.

Generic pills are cheaper than brand-name preparations, and tablets are often cheaper than capsules.

For example, the average cash price for generic phentermine 37.5 mg tablets is $32.35, while the average cash price for generic phentermine 37.5 mg capsules is about $36. Qsymia is the most expensive phentermine pill on the market, with an average cash price of $194-240 per month, depending on the dose (1,7).

Here are the average cash prices for different brands of phentermine, as well as generic 37.5mg tablets and capsules:

Generic 37.5mg	Adipex-P	Qsymia
$32 (T) $36 (C)	$87 (T) $93 (C)	$225 (7.5/46) $240 (15/92)

All prices are provided in US dollars (USD). Prices last updated June 2019 [1,7].
Key: T= Tablet; C= Capsule.

Phentermine Price Comparison

These are the approximate prices for 30 pills using free, online discount cards from GoodRx, SingleCare, and RxSaver. In many cases it is possible to save even more money by combining these coupons with store-specific loyalty programs or manufacturer coupons.

Phentermine Price: Walgreens

	Generic 37.5mg	Adipex	Qsymia
GoodRx	$16 (T) $21 (C)	$73 (C&T)	$201 (7.5/46) $215 (15/92)
Single Care	$19 (C&T)	$71 (T) $72 (C)	$208 (7.5/46) $223 (15/92)
RxSaver	$20 (T) $24 (C)	$70 (T) $31 (C)	$198 (7.5/46) $212 (15/92)

All prices are provided in US dollars (USD). Prices last updated June 2019 [1,7–10].
Key: T= Tablet; C= Capsule.

Phentermine Price: Walmart

	Generic 37.5mg	Adipex	Qsymia
GoodRx	$13 (T) $14 (C)	$68 (T) $69 (C)	$197 (7.5/46) $211 (15/92)
Single Care	$13 (C&T)	$71 (T) $73 (C)	$208 (7.5/46) $223 (15/92)
RxSaver	$15 (T) $28 (C)	$70 (T) $71 (C)	$199 (7.5/46) $213 (15/92)

All prices are provided in US dollars (USD). Prices last updated June 2019 [1,7–10].
Key: T= Tablet; C= Capsule.

Phentermine Price: CVS

	Generic 37.5mg	Adipex	Qsymia
GoodRx	$14 (T) $39 (C)	$71 (T) $72 (C)	$201 (7.5/46) $215 (15/92)
Single Care	$13 (C&T)	$74 (T) $75 (C)	$204 (7.5/46) $218 (15/92)
RxSaver	$14 (C&T)	$70 (T) $48 (C)	$200 (7.5/46) $214 (15/92)

All prices are provided in US dollars (USD). Prices last updated June 2019 [1,7–10].
Key: T= Tablet; C= Capsule.

Phentermine Price: Costco

	Generic 37.5mg	Adipex	Qsymia
GoodRx	$11 (T) $16 (C)	$69 (T) $70 (C)	$193 (7.5/46) $206 (15/92)
RxSaver	$10 (T) $23 (C)	$69 (T) $71 (C)	$197 (7.5/46) $211 (15/92)

All prices are provided in US dollars (USD). Prices last updated June 2019 [1,7–10].
Key: T= Tablet; C= Capsule.

Please keep in mind that prescription medication prices vary significantly between pharmacies, in different cities, and over time. The prices listed above are only estimates of monthly phentermine cost and do not represent any sort of coupon or price guarantee.

For exact pricing, contact your local pharmacy.

Where to Find a Phentermine Coupon

Free, online coupons can make this medicine more affordable if insurance does not cover weight loss pills. Here are some of the top prescription discounts sites that offer a phentermine coupon:

• SaveOnMeds
• GoodRx
• SingleCare
• RxSaver

Pharmaceutical companies also offer coupons for their products. Here are the links to access manufacturer coupons for some popular US brands of phentermine:

• Adipex Coupon
  Teva Pharmaceuticals offers a 25% off coupon (valid for up to $32 off) for refills of their popular brand name phentermine pill, Adipex-P ( 11 ).
• Lomaira Coupon
  KVK Tech, the makers of Lomaira (8mg phentermine) have a low cost program that makes sure unnecessarily high distribution costs are not passed on to consumers. Their program ensures that patients pay no more than $0.50 per pill, regardless of listed price ( 12 ). There is no generic equivalent to Lomaira.
• Qsymia Coupon​​​
  The Qsymia Advantage program from VIVUS, Inc. caps the monthly cost of Qsymia at $98, regardless of dose. It also offers members free home delivery and a free two-week supply of the lowest (starter/titration) dose of Qsymia ( 13 ).

Doctors and weight loss clinics may also have additional resources to make prescription weight loss pills more affordable. Talk with your prescribing doctor if you are worried about how to pay for phentermine.