If you’ve ever had strep throat, a urinary tract infection, or an ear or eye infection, you’ve probably taken an antibiotic. These prescription antibiotics aid in the treatment of bacterial illnesses and may potentially save lives. Unfortunately, antibiotics can be costly for those who are uninsured.
Consider azithromycin (Zithromax or Z Pak), one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for a wide range of infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and sexually transmitted diseases.
For those who are uninsured, generic azithromycin costs around $32, while the brand name Zithromax costs around $73. You’ve come to the right place if you’re one of the roughly 8.5 percent of Americans without health insurance.
In this article, we’ll discuss which illnesses antibiotics can treat, how antibiotics work, how much antibiotics cost without insurance, whether you can purchase antibiotics over the counter, and how to help lower the cost of your antibiotics, with or without insurance coverage.
Zithromax Z-Pak Coupons & Prices (Azithromycin)
The antibiotic Zithromax Z-Pak (azithromycin) is used to treat bacterial infections. Pneumonia, strep throat, ear infections, urinary tract infections, bronchitis, and other bacterial illnesses are treated with Zithromax Z-Pak.
Zithromax Z-Pak costs $153.87 without insurance for 1, 6 Tablets Tablet. With a Zithromax Z-Pak coupon from SingleCare, pharmacy consumers may save money on this popular antibiotic. With a SingleCare coupon, you can get 6, 6 Tablets Disp Pack of generic Zithromax Z-Pak for $4.75.
How much does Zithromax Z-Pak cost without insurance?
Zithromax Z-Pak prices vary, but the average cash price is $153.87 per 1, 6 Tablets Tablet. The cash price of a prescription drug is the cost without insurance and before any type of discount.
Uninsured customers can still save money on Zithromax Z-Pak by using a free SingleCare discount card at a participating pharmacy. You could pay $4.75 for 6, 6 Tablets Disp Pack of generic Zithromax Z-Pak.
How much does Zithromax Z-Pak cost with insurance?
The generic version of Zithromax Z-Pak, azithromycin, is covered by many health insurance plans. Still, the price of Zithromax Z-Pak could be even lower with a Zithromax Z-Pak coupon from SingleCare.
Compare our lowest price of $4.75 for 6, 6 Tablets Disp Pack of generic Zithromax Z-Pak to your insurance copay to get the best price possible.
How do antibiotics work?
Antibiotics work to treat bacterial infections, not viruses. They are designed to either kill pathogenic bacteria or prevent them from multiplying.
Antibiotics come in different forms—including tablets, ointments, capsules, liquids, and creams—and work by attacking the cellular wall of the pathogenic bacteria, killing the pathogenic bacteria by preventing protein production, or keeping the pathogenic bacteria from multiplying.
Some antibiotics are specialized and work on only certain types of bacteria. Others, called broad-spectrum antibiotics, work on many of the bacteria in the body, both good and bad.
It’s essential to take the right type of antibiotic for your condition to ensure the medication doesn’t cause harm. Unfortunately, some bacterial infections cannot be treated with antibiotics.
This is often due to antibiotic resistance, meaning the bacteria are unable to be killed or stopped by certain antibiotics.
This resistance is often thought to be due to antibiotic misuse or overuse. Approximately two million people a year are infected with bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, and at least 23,000 die as a direct result.
Does Medicare cover Zithromax Z-Pak and how much does it cost?
Medicare Part D typically covers azithromycin—generic Zithromax Z-Pak. However, if your Medicare copay is still too high, ask your pharmacist to use your SingleCare savings card instead. Coupons for Zithromax Z-Pak and other prescriptions are free from SingleCare, and you could get up to 80% off by using them.
How to save on Zithromax Z-Pak
According to Pfizer RxPathways, there is not a Zithromax Z-Pak manufacturer coupon available at this time. However, uninsured patients may save money on Zithromax Z-Pak by applying to the Pfizer Savings Program. Ask a pharmacist for the current availability of manufacturer rebates and patient assistance programs.
SingleCare prescription discount cards could be the easiest way to save on Zithromax Z-Pak. To maximize your savings, ask a pharmacist if the generic version of Zithromax Z-Pak (azithromycin) is available.
Then, search for Zithromax Z-Pak or azithromycin on singlecare.com or the SingleCare app to find coupons that could lower your cost to $4.75 for 6, 6 Tablets Disp Pack of generic Zithromax Z-Pak.
Is there a generic of Zithromax Z-Pak?
Azithromycin is the generic alternative to Zithromax Z-Pak. Generic drugs are often cheaper and often covered by health insurance and Medicare plans. Search our website or app to find coupons for brand-name Zithromax Z-Pak or generic azithromycin to start saving.
Biaxin (clarithromycin), Augmentin (amoxicillin), Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Vibramycin (doxycycline), Keflex (cephalexin), Cleocin (clindamycin), Levaquin (levofloxacin), and Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim) are some alternative antibiotics that may treat similar bacterial infections.
What is Zithromax Z-Pak?
The antibiotic Zithromax Z-Pak is commonly prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Zithromax Z-Pak is used to treat bacterial infections of the throat, tonsils, sinuses, ears, lungs, urinary tract, cervix, digestive system, and skin.
The Zithromax Z-Pak box contains six tablets, which is a five-day course of antibiotics. On the first day of treatment, the patient normally takes two tablets, then one tablet for the next four days. Even if symptoms go gone before day five, it’s critical that patients finish their antibiotic treatment.
For bacterial sinusitis or chronic bronchitis, Zithromax Tri-Pak may be prescribed instead of Zithromax Z-Pak. The Tri-Pak contains three azithromycin tablets that are stronger than the Zithromax Z-Pak.
Zithromax Z-Pak is available in liquid and tablet form, both of which are taken orally. Higher doses of azithromycin are available in powder form, which may be prescribed to treat sexually transmitted diseases.
What are the side effects of Zithromax Z-Pak?
GI symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, stomach discomfort and vomiting are common Zithromax Z-Pak side effects. During the five-day course of Zithromax Z-Pak, dizziness and weariness are possible side effects.
Hearing loss, blurred vision, trouble speaking or swallowing, and muscle weakness are all serious Zithromax Z-Pak side effects. People who are experiencing these adverse effects should get medical help as soon as possible.
Additionally, if any of the above-mentioned typical side effects persist or worsen (for example, severe abdominal pain or prolonged vomiting), you should seek medical attention.
If you are allergic to antibiotics, have liver illness, renal disease, or myasthenia gravis, take antacids or cardiac medication, or have had or plan to have surgery, you should not take Zithromax Z-Pak.
Illnesses That Can Be Treated by Antibiotics
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, including:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Strep throat
- Tuberculosis
- Ear infections
- Eye infections
- Sinus infections
- Pneumonia
Our bodies interact with various types of good and bad bacteria every day. The bacteria that can cause harm are often called pathogenic bacteria and account for around 1% of all bacteria.
Pathogenic bacteria can cause an array of different conditions, from mild to severe. Some bacterial infections are contagious and can be spread through air, food, water, and bodily contact.
Viruses differ from bacteria in that they can cause the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, herpes, warts, and infectious mononucleosis.
Because antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, these conditions must be treated using over-the-counter drugs. Time, fluids, rest, and occasionally antiviral medication may also help treat viruses.
Like bacterial infections, viruses are often contagious and can be spread from person to person. People may also develop bacterial infections after being infected by a virus. These are known as “secondary bacterial infections” and include sinus infections and ear infections.
Common Antibiotics Prices Without Insurance
Though there is a multitude of different antibiotics on the market, some are more common than others because they treat more common conditions and illnesses and are more accessible.
Below is approximately what you can expect to pay for common antibiotics if you do not have insurance and are instead paying the usual and customary price (the cash price assigned to a drug by the pharmacy).
Prices are based on averages found on drugs.com and will vary by pharmacy location.
Generic Drug Name | Typically Used to Treat | Generic Drug Price | Brand Name Drug | Brand Name Drug Price | Dosage |
Amoxicillin | Pneumonia; bronchitis; infections of the nose, ear, eye, throat, and urinary tract | $10 for four capsules | n/a | n/a | 500 mg |
Cephalexin | Pneumonia; infections of the bone, skin, ears, genitals, and urinary tract | $11 for four capsules | Keflex | $63 for 20 capsules | 500 mg |
Doxycycline | Pneumonia; rosacea; acne; infections of the lymphatic, intestinal, genitals, and urinary systems | $13 for two tablets | Mondoxyne NL | $52 for 60 capsules | 100 mg |
Azithromycin | Bronchitis; pneumonia; sexually transmitted diseases; infections of the ears, lungs, sinuses, skin, throat, and reproductive organs | $32 for three tablets | Zithromax | $73 for 18 tablets | 500mg |
Levofloxacin | Pneumonia; bronchitis; infections of the kidney, prostate, urinary tract, sinuses, and skin | $18 for three tablets | Levaquin | $27 for one tablet | 500mg |
Can You Buy Antibiotics OTC?
Most antibiotics cannot be purchased over the counter; instead, they must be prescribed by a healthcare provider.
Antibiotics can be purchased without health insurance, however, they’re often more costly than if you have an insurance plan that includes prescription coverage.
Tips for Lowering the Cost of Antibiotics
While antibiotics can be costly when paying out of pocket, you can take action to reduce the cost.
Consider the following steps for prescription savings:
- Choose generic medications: After being prescribed an antibiotic (or any other type of drug), talk to your provider or pharmacist about taking the generic version. These drugs are equal to their brand-name counterparts in strength, quality, safety, and effectiveness. Yet they typically have a significantly lower price because there is more competition in the marketplace.
- Shop around: Several websites can help you determine which pharmacy in your area sells your prescription for the lowest price. Other websites can tell you if you can get your prescription cheaper from a licensed online pharmacy. Many of these websites, such as goodrx.com or RxSaver, also share any available coupons to use at your local pharmacy for the prescription.
- Enroll in discount programs: Some states have prescription drug assistance programs, while others offer subsidized medications and discount programs for those who are not insured or do not qualify for other government programs. You can also search for “Rx discount cards,” which you can use to reduce the total cost of your prescription.
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