Quit smoking medication cost: Chantix, bupropion and nicotine replacement

Your options, and how you get them

• Varenicline (Chantix). A prescription pill used along with education and counseling to help people stop smoking (MedlinePlus). FDA approved the first generic in August 2021 (FDA).
• Bupropion. A prescription antidepressant that’s also used to help people stop smoking. MedlinePlus says the Zyban brand is no longer sold, but generic alternatives may be available (MedlinePlus). See our antidepressant cost guide.
• Nicotine patch, gum and lozenge. Sold over the counter. The nicotine inhaler and nasal spray need a prescription (Smokefree.gov). MedlinePlus says nicotine gum should be used with a quit program, which may include counseling or support groups (MedlinePlus).

Smokefree.gov says quit-smoking medicines can double your chances of quitting for good, and combining nicotine replacement with counseling, such as a quitline or text program, can boost your odds further (Smokefree.gov). Your doctor can help you choose. This page isn’t medical advice.

Get it covered first

• Marketplace and most other plans. Tobacco use screening and cessation help for tobacco users are on the list of preventive services plans must cover without a copay or coinsurance, even before you meet your deductible, when you use an in-network provider. HealthCare.gov notes that $0 cost isn’t guaranteed in every case (HealthCare.gov). Ask your plan which quit medicines it covers and whether you need a prescription for over-the-counter nicotine replacement.
• Medicare. Part B covers up to 8 counseling sessions to quit tobacco every 12 months, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment (Medicare.gov). Prescription quit drugs go through your Part D plan, so check its drug list.
• No insurance? HRSA-funded health centers charge on a sliding scale, and our guide to prescriptions without insurance covers more options.

Free help in Illinois

The Illinois Tobacco Quitline is a free resource to help people quit smoking, vaping or other tobacco use. Call 1-866-QUIT-YES to enroll with a counselor, or sign up online. It also offers the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking Plus program of 9 virtual sessions (Illinois Tobacco Quitline). Nationally, you can text QUIT to 47848 for SmokefreeTXT (Smokefree.gov).

Safety rules worth knowing

• Mood and behavior changes. MedlinePlus says to stop varenicline and call your doctor right away if you have new or worse depression, anxiety, agitation, unusual behavior or suicidal thoughts (MedlinePlus).
• Driving and alcohol. Varenicline may make you drowsy or dizzy, and it can increase the effects of alcohol (MedlinePlus).
• Tell your doctor your history, including seizures and heart, blood vessel or kidney disease (MedlinePlus). With bupropion, also mention seizures and any eating disorder (MedlinePlus).

How to pay less

• Ask for the generic. FDA says generics work the same way as the brand, and prices tend to drop as more companies make the same drug (FDA).
• Compare cash prices. The same quit-smoking prescription can cost different amounts at different pharmacies. Check a free discount card such as RxGo before you fill, and compare it with your copay.
• Check your plan’s drug list. Look up the drug and its tier, then compare the copay with a discount price (HealthCare.gov).
• On Medicare? If your income is limited, apply for Extra Help. Drugs bought with a discount card instead of your plan don’t count toward your plan’s out-of-pocket limit (Medicare.gov).
• No insurance? HRSA-funded health centers charge on a sliding scale based on income. Find one near you.