Lipitor vs Vascepa
Side-by-side cost comparison based on Medicare Part D data
Lipitor
Atorvastatin
Manufactured by Pfizer
Vascepa
Icosapent Ethyl
Manufactured by Amarin
Lipitor costs 93% less per claim than Vascepa ($16.00 vs $229.00). A generic version of Lipitor is also available, which may reduce costs further.
Cost Per Claim
Medicare Spending
Beneficiaries
Annual Cost Per Patient
Full Comparison
| Metric | Lipitor | Vascepa |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Cost Per Claim | $16.00 | $229.00 |
| Total Medicare Spending | $456.0M | $567.0M |
| Total Beneficiaries | 4,120,000 | 298,000 |
| Total Claims | 28,960,000 | 2,480,000 |
| Annual Cost/Patient | $111.00 | $1,903.00 |
| Year-over-Year Change | -56.3% | -12.4% |
| Generic Available | Yes | Yes |
| Patent Expiration | Nov 30, 2011 | Jan 31, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | Pfizer | Amarin |
| Condition | High Cholesterol | High Cholesterol |
| Generic Name | Atorvastatin | Icosapent Ethyl |
Lipitor vs Vascepa: What the Data Shows
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) and Vascepa (Icosapent Ethyl) are both used to treat high cholesterol. Based on Medicare Part D data, Lipitor costs $16.00 per claim, which is 93% less than Vascepa at $229.00 per claim.
Medicare spent $456.0M on Lipitor and $567.0M on Vascepa. In terms of patient reach, Lipitor serves more beneficiaries (4,120,000 vs 298,000).
Year-over-year spending changed -56.3% for Lipitor and -12.4% for Vascepa.
Both drugs have generic versions available. Patients should discuss generic alternatives with their pharmacist to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lipitor is cheaper at $16.00 per claim, compared to $229.00 for Vascepa. That makes Lipitor about 93% less expensive per claim based on Medicare Part D data.
Yes, both Lipitor and Vascepa are used to treat high cholesterol. Your doctor can help determine which medication is more appropriate for your specific situation.
Both drugs have generic versions available. Generic Atorvastatin and generic Icosapent Ethyl can offer significant cost savings, typically 80-95% less than the brand name.
Medicare Part D spent $456.0M on Lipitor covering 4,120,000 beneficiaries, and $567.0M on Vascepa covering 298,000 beneficiaries.
Explore Further
Cost data reflects Medicare Part D spending and may not represent retail pharmacy prices. Average cost per claim represents the total drug cost (not patient out-of-pocket) divided by total claims. This comparison is informational only and should not replace medical advice.
Comparing Lipitor and Vascepa on U.S. Medicare prescription-drug pricing requires lining up the underlying CMS Medicare Part D Drug Spending data data side by side. The table above runs the comparison on the canonical fields; the narrative below identifies the factor or factors that drive the most meaningful difference between the two.
Practical use of the comparison: read the data above, then drill into the individual Lipitor and Vascepa detail pages for the underlying breakdown. A pairwise comparison answers the relative question; the per-entity pages answer the absolute question.
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending, 2026.