A GoodRx Savings Guide to 25 Asthma Inhalers: Ventolin, Symbicort, Trelegy, and More

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Asthma is an everyday part of life for many people. But it's a diverse condition, and everyone has their own experience with it. This sometimes makes managing asthma a little tricky.

Some people just need a quick puff of an inhaler before exercise. In other situations, a mix of breathing treatments keeps symptoms well managed. In more severe cases, a combination of inhalers, injections, and oral medications is the key to success.

Regardless of the scenario, your treatment plan most likely includes an inhaler. Inhalers come in many shapes and sizes, both brand and generic. Short-acting rescue inhalers treat breathing exacerbations, while long-acting maintenance inhalers manage asthma symptoms over time.

It all sounds simple enough, but accessing inhalers can be a common roadblock. Here, we'll explain everything you need to know on how to save on asthma inhalers.

The inhaler graphics in this article are based on information from Pyrls, a professional drug information website and mobile application for healthcare professionals and trainees that specializes in pharmacotherapy charts and summaries.

How to save on asthma inhalers

A first-choice way to save on asthma inhalers is by using your health insurance. This holds true for people covered by commercial insurance plans, Medicare Part D, and more.

Health insurance won't always make your out-of-pocket cost affordable though. And your insurance may not cover your preferred inhaler. Or you may not have insurance at all. In these cases, there are other ways to save. Some options include:

• GoodRx coupons, which may beat your insurance copay

• Manufacturer copay cards, which are typically available to people with commercial insurance

• Patient assistance programs (PAPs), which provide medications free of charge to eligible individuals - usually those who are underinsured or uninsured

Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), gave GoodRx Health more context on why inhaler affordability is so relevant.

"Affordability of prescription medicines remains the top reason for people not taking their asthma medication. When the cost of treatment is too high, people with asthma tend to limit how often they take their medicines or stop taking them altogether," said Mendez. "Lower out-of-pocket costs greatly help people manage their asthma and have a better quality of life."

He also wanted people to remember that asthma can be fatal when left untreated.

"More than 10 people die each day from asthma. Effective asthma treatment requires consistent use of prescribed medicines," said Mendez.

Asthma inhaler price caps

Some pharmaceutical companies now offer voluntary caps to consumers on monthly inhaler costs. So far, this applies to inhalers made by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GSK. Inhalers from these brands shouldn't cost you more than $35 per month.

AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim implemented their caps on June 1, 2024. GSK inhalers should have these caps in place no later than January 1, 2025.

Ask your pharmacist if these price caps apply to you. If you have government insurance (Medicare or Medicaid), you may not be eligible for these discounts. Specific policies vary by company.

SABAs, or rescue inhalers

Short-acting beta agonists (SABAs) are "as needed" medications that treat breathing flare-ups. Also known as rescue inhalers, they help relieve asthma symptoms quickly. They can also be administered in advance to prevent exercise-induced asthma.

Many people living with asthma keep a SABA on hand for when they need it. They come in the form of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs).

Two well-known brand-name albuterol products - ProAir HFA and Proventil HFA - have been discontinued by their manufacturers. They're now only available as generics.

What's more, the ProAir Digihaler, a type of smart inhaler connected to an app, was discontinued in June 2024.

ICS inhalers

Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) inhalers are a foundational part of treating asthma. They're first-choice controller medications to consider as part of a daily asthma maintenance regimen. That's because ICS inhalers help lessen inflammation and swelling in the lungs.

What's more, many asthma experts recommend using an ICS in combination with formoterol, a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), to quickly relieve breathing symptoms. This is a potential alternative to SABA inhalers. This is discussed more later.

Here's how to save on stand-alone ICS inhalers.

Flovent (fluticasone propionate) used to be widely available as a brand-name ICS inhaler. But it was discontinued by its manufacturer in early 2024. Now, Flovent HFA and Flovent Diskus are only available as generic products.

Another version of fluticasone, called ArmonAir Digihaler, was discontinued in June 2024.

LABA inhalers

Long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) are maintenance asthma medications. They promote better breathing and lung function over time.

LABAs are typically combined with an ICS for asthma maintenance. You can use two separate inhalers that contain these ingredients or you can use a combination inhaler that pairs the two into one device.

Only one stand-alone LABA is currently FDA approved for asthma.

LAMA inhalers

Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are another group of maintenance inhalers. They're designed to keep the airways relaxed and further improve lung function.

If medium-to-high doses of ICS and LABA inhalers aren't doing enough to manage asthma symptoms, it may be beneficial to add a LAMA to your daily asthma regimen.

Good to know: Stand-alone short-acting muscarinic antagonists (SAMAs) are also available. They're a possible alternative to SABAs. However, they're only approved to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Combination inhalers

Combination asthma inhalers merge two or three active ingredients into one device. This approach helps simplify medication management and promote medication adherence.

SABA + ICS inhalers

As of August 2024, there's one combination inhaler in the U.S. that pairs a SABA and ICS together: Airsupra.

Airsupra is the first combination inhaler of its kind. It's an as-needed rescue inhaler that treats asthma exacerbations and helps prevent future asthma attacks. Airsupra isn't a maintenance medication.

ICS + LABA inhalers

Many combination asthma inhalers contain an ICS and LABA. They're preferred maintenance medications for people ages 12 years and older. They're also preferred options for kids ages 6 through 11 when an ICS alone isn't enough.

What's more, inhalers that contain a specific LABA, formoterol, have another use. They can relieve active breathing symptoms. This approach is called SMART, or "single maintenance and reliever therapy." Meaning, the same inhaler that's used to improve breathing over time can also treat asthma exacerbations. This helps lessen the need for SABAs and reduce the number of inhalers you need to fill at the pharmacy. This approach isn't technically FDA approved, but many asthma experts recommend it anyway.

Good to know: Salmeterol- and vilanterol-containing inhalers shouldn't be used for SMART. Salmeterol may not start working as fast as formoterol, and vilanterol may not be safe to use more than once daily.

Similar to other Digihalers, the AirDuo Digihaler (fluticasone propionate / salmeterol) was discontinued in June 2024.

ICS + LAMA + LABA inhalers

In more severe cases, a maintenance inhaler that contains three active ingredients may be beneficial. One such product, Trelegy Ellipta, is approved in the U.S. for asthma. It contains an ICS, LAMA, and LABA.

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