Xeloda (capecitabine) is a brand-name prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to treat certain types of cancer in adults. These include:*
* Doctors prescribe Xeloda for these conditions in certain situations. It’ll depend on your cancer stage, how many previous treatments you’ve had, and other drugs you’d need to take with Xeloda.
For more information about Xeloda’s uses, refer to this article.
Drug details
Here are some details about Xeloda:
- Drug form: oral tablet
- Generic: capecitabine
Read on to learn about Xeloda and cost, as well as how to save money on prescriptions.
As with all medications, the cost of Xeloda can vary. Factors that may affect the price you’ll pay include:
- your treatment plan
- your insurance coverage
- the specialty pharmacy* you use
- whether you’re eligible for financial assistance (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below)
To find out what the cost of Xeloda will be for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Note: If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Xeloda. This means the company and your doctor will discuss Xeloda in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether the medication is covered. If a drug requires prior authorization but you start treatment without prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Xeloda requires prior authorization.
* Xeloda is only available at specialty pharmacies. This type of pharmacy is authorized to carry specialty drugs. These are drugs that may be costly or require help from healthcare professionals to be taken safely and effectively. For more details about this type of pharmacy, talk with your doctor.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about drug cost and Xeloda.
How can I figure out the cost of Xeloda 500-mg tablets per month?
The cost of Xeloda 500-millligram (mg) tablets per month depends on several factors, such as:
- the condition Xeloda is being used to treat
- your treatment plan
- whether you have insurance coverage
- whether you qualify for any financial savings programs (to learn more, see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below)
- the specialty pharmacy* you use if you’re paying out of pocket
If you have insurance, talk with your insurance provider to learn more about the cost of Xeloda treatment. They may have prior authorization requirements you must meet before Xeloda is covered. This may affect your cost of Xeloda 500-mg tablets per month and year. (For more details about prior authorization, see the “Xeloda cost” section above.)
If you don’t have insurance, ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about Xeloda’s monthly cost.
* Xeloda is available at specialty pharmacies. This type of pharmacy is authorized to carry specialty drugs. These are drugs that may be costly or require help from healthcare professionals to be taken safely and effectively. For more details about this type of pharmacy, talk with your doctor.
What’s the cost of Xeloda with insurance?
The cost of Xeloda with insurance depends on your particular insurance plan. It may also depend on the condition Xeloda is being used to treat and your treatment plan.
Your insurance company may also require prior authorization before they cover Xeloda. (For more details about prior authorization, see the “Xeloda cost” section above.)
To find out the cost of Xeloda with insurance, talk with your plan provider.
The active ingredient of Xeloda is capecitabine. It’s available as the generic drug capecitabine. A generic drug is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
The cost of generic drugs may vary based on whether you pay out of pocket or have insurance. For example, capecitabine cost without insurance may depend on your treatment plan and the specialty pharmacy* you use to fill your prescription.
If your doctor has prescribed Xeloda and you’re interested in using capecitabine instead, talk with your doctor. They may have a preference for one version or the other. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider, as it may only cover one or the other.
To find out how the cost of this generic drug compares with the cost of Xeloda, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
* Xeloda is available at specialty pharmacies. This type of pharmacy is authorized to carry specialty medications. These are drugs that may be costly or require help from healthcare professionals to be taken safely and effectively. For more details about this type of pharmacy, talk with your doctor.
WHY ARE COSTS DIFFERENT FOR BRAND-NAME DRUGS VS. GENERIC DRUGS?Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the research needed to test their safety and effectiveness. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell it for up to 20 years. When the brand-name drug’s patent expires, multiple manufacturers can create generic versions. This marketplace competition may lead to lower costs for generics. Also, because generics contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t require the same costly testing.
If you need financial support to pay for Xeloda or help to understand your insurance coverage, help is available. For example:
- The drug’s manufacturer, Genentech, has a patient support foundation with resources for those who need help paying for their medications. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible for support, call 877-GENENTECH (877-436-3683) or visit the program 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:
To learn more about saving money on prescriptions with or without insurance, check out this article.
Now that you’ve learned about cost and Xeloda, you may still have some questions. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist, who can provide personalized guidance about cost issues related to Xeloda. However, if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you would pay for Xeloda.
Here are some other resources you may find helpful:
- Medicare drug coverage. To learn about Medicare coverage for drugs, see these articles about Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, drug coupons and Medicare, and the Medicare drug list.
- More details. For details about other aspects of Xeloda, refer to this article.
- Dosage. Learn about Xeloda and dosage by viewing this article.
- Side effects. For details about Xeloda’s side effects, see this article. You can also look at the Xeloda prescribing information.
- Information about your condition. For more information about your condition, see our:
Disclaimer: Medical News Today 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.