The cost of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) varies based on your insurance. Most Medicare and private insurance companies DO cover generic buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone), though may specify the formulation (film vs tab) and set dose limits. The best way to find out is to contact your insurance company.

If you do not have insurance, the cost can vary based on the prescribed dose. Patients unable to afford buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) (regardless of insurance coverage) can apply for cost-assistance. The company that makes Suboxone offers this type of program to help reduce out-of-pocket expenses. To learn more, go to: inSupport program.

You can also get discounted buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) using pharmacy coupons or cash prizes. If you go to the GoodRx website (goodrx.com), you can enter in your zip code and find coupons and discounts at your pharmacy of choice. (On average, if you use GoodRx coupons/discounts, you can slash the typical price of generic Suboxone film from $395 to $118).

Yes, because of COVID-19, our addiction medicine doctors can write Suboxone prescriptions online. Before COVID-19, doctors who prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) were required to see each patient in person before writing that patient’s first Suboxone prescription. The in-person requirements were mandated by a law called the “Ryan Haight Act” which was passed by Congress in 2008. But because of the COVID-19 emergency, providers like the ones at Bicycle Health can write Suboxone prescriptions based on telehealth visits only. This eliminates the need for in-person visits for people who want to start treatment online with buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone). The ability for addiction medicine doctors to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) to patients who start treatment after the COVID-19 emergency eventually ends is still up in the air. We are currently waiting for guidance from the federal government about whether addiction medicine doctors will continue to be able to write Suboxone prescriptions to new patients without an in-person visit once the COVID-19 emergency ends.

Yes! As long as you are getting buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) from a physician or physician assistant with a license to prescribe Suboxone, it is perfectly legal to get Suboxone prescription online. Providers who can prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) have received extra training and obtained a waiver (known as an “x” license) from the DEA. 

Before you are prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone), you will need to undergo an initial medical evaluation so that the doctor can ensure that it is an appropriate medication for you, though this does not require an in-person visit and can be done via telehealth (with video or telephone). 

Once you have completed this assessment, the doctor will send a prescription to your preferred pharmacy. So, yes! You can find a licensed buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) provider online and they can get you started on it via telehealth services without any in-person appointments.

It’s easy to schedule an appointment with the addiction medicine doctors at Bicycle Health and our website will check your cost at the same time. To see if we are available in your area and to make your first appointment, visit our scheduling tool here.

If you would like more support around addiction or mental health, SAMHSA’s national helpline (1-800-662-HELP/4357) is available 24/7, 365 days a year. It is a free and confidential service that can direct individuals or families to further treatment options. For example, if you need a detox program, an inpatient program, a dual diagnosis program (that treats both addiction AND mental health), an intensive outpatient program, if you would like to find a methadone clinic, or find a buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) provider based on your location, they can help direct you or your loved ones to the most appropriate next steps in treatment.

The short answer is, “yes, online addiction medicine doctors are legitimate.” The longer answer is that the online addiction medicine providers at Bicycle Health have at least as much training and experience as in-person addiction medicine doctors. And because Bicycle Health treats patients across the country, our online doctors meet the highest national standards. Our doctors have trained at some of the best medical residency programs and medical schools in the country including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania, University of Arizona, University of Kentucky, and many others. Numerous studies have shown that online addiction medicine is at least as good as in-person clinics, and has even better results than in-person clinics for many patients.