How Much Does Butrans Cost With Medicare?
Butrans (Buprenorphine (transdermal)) costs an average of $271 per Medicare Part D claim, with total Medicare spending of $234.0M in the latest year. A generic version is available, which may reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Key Facts: Butrans Cost
- Medicare Part D avg
- $271/claim
- Likely Part D tier
- Tier 3 (non-preferred brand)
- Annual cost/patient
- $2,388
- Generic available
- Yes — Buprenorphine (transdermal)
- Manufacturer
- Purdue
- Treats
- Pain
- YoY price change
- -12.4%
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending Dashboard. Tier placement inferred from typical formulary norms — confirm with your specific Part D plan.
Butrans Medicare Coverage & Out-of-Pocket Cost
Butrans is covered under Medicare Part D, with the program paying an average of $271 per prescription fill. Butrans typically falls on Tier 3 (non-preferred brand) of standard Part D formularies. Typical copay: $40-$100 per fill, depending on plan formulary.
Your actual out-of-pocket cost depends on three factors: (1) formulary tier — your plan's specific placement; (2) deductible status — most plans require you to meet up to a $590 deductible (2025) before copays kick in; (3) coverage phase — initial coverage, then the donut hole was eliminated in 2025, replaced by a hard $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap under the Inflation Reduction Act. Once you hit $2,000 in true out-of-pocket spending, the rest of your Part D drugs are free for the year.
Because generic Buprenorphine (transdermal) is available, the single biggest savings move is asking your pharmacist about generic substitution. Generics typically sit on Tier 1 with copays under $10, vs Tier 2-3 placement for brand-name Butrans. Most states allow automatic substitution unless your prescriber writes "dispense as written."
For cash-pay or commercial insurance scenarios, compare prices using GoodRx, SingleCare, or Cost Plus Drugs before filling — discount-program prices sometimes beat Part D copays for lower-cost generics.
Butrans is manufactured by Purdue and prescribed primarily for Pain. In the most recent Medicare Part D data, 864,000 claims were filed for 98,000 unique beneficiaries, at an average cost of $271 per claim. Average annual cost per beneficiary is $2,388.
Year over year, Medicare spending on Butrans has decreased by -12.4%. Because a generic version of Buprenorphine (transdermal) is available, patients can often substitute to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Its patent expires 2023-01-31.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Avg Cost Per Claim | $271 |
| Total Medicare Spending | $234.0M |
| Total Claims | 864,000 |
| Beneficiaries | 98,000 |
| Generic Available | Yes |
| Year-Over-Year Change | -12.4% |
Other Drugs for Pain
Frequently Asked Questions
Medicare Part D pays an average of $271 per claim for Butrans. Butrans is typically placed on Tier 3 (non-preferred brand) of standard Part D formularies. Typical copay: $40-$100 per fill, depending on plan formulary. As of 2025, total annual out-of-pocket on Part D is capped at $2,000 under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Butrans (Buprenorphine (transdermal)) costs an average of $271 per Medicare Part D claim, with total Medicare spending of $234.0M in the latest year. A generic version is available, which may reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Yes. A generic version of Buprenorphine (transdermal) is available, which typically costs 80-95% less than brand-name Butrans. Ask your pharmacist about generic substitution — most state laws allow automatic substitution unless your prescriber writes "dispense as written."
Medicare beneficiaries cannot use manufacturer copay cards (anti-kickback statute), but several options exist: (1) Apply to charity copay foundations like the PAN Foundation, NeedyMeds, HealthWell Foundation, or Patient Advocate Foundation — many cover pain drugs; (2) Ask your prescriber about therapeutic alternatives in the same drug class that may be on a lower tier; (3) For some drugs, paying cash via GoodRx or Cost Plus Drugs can beat your Medicare copay — always compare before filling; (4) If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for the Medicare Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) program, which reduces Part D costs to near-zero.
Medicare Part D spending on Butrans has decreased -12.4% year over year. Total program spending reached $234.0M in the latest reporting year.
Butrans (Buprenorphine (transdermal)) is primarily prescribed for Pain. It is manufactured by Purdue.
More about Butrans
Butrans (Buprenorphine (transdermal)) costs an average of $271 per Medicare Part D claim, with total Medicare spending of $234.0M in the latest year. A generic version is available, which may reduce out-of-pocket costs.
The data source behind this answer is CMS Medicare Part D Drug Spending data. Every figure on the page traces back to that source; the methodology page describes the inputs and the refresh cadence in full detail.
For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying CMS Medicare Part D Drug Spending data record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending, 2026.