Thyroiditis Treatment Cost

• For patients covered by health insurance, the typical cost of thyroiditis treatment will include doctor visit copays and prescription drug copays. Thyroiditis treatment typically is covered by health insurance.
• For patients not covered by health insurance, the typical cost depends on the type of thyroiditis -- and can range from less than $500 for subacute or silent thyroiditis, which typically resolve on their own and might require some monitoring, to $15 -$45 per month -- or $180 -$540 per year -- for the synthetic thyroid hormone typically prescribed. For example, Drugstore.com charges about $15 -$20, depending on the dose, for a one-month supply of the brand-name drug Levothroid, or $25 -$45 for a one-month supply of the brand-name drug Synthroid. And Drugstore.com charges less than $20 for a one-month supply of the steroid Prednisone.

• For chronic thyroiditis, also called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the most common type, a doctor typically recommends monitoring and might prescribe oral hormone replacement.
• For subacute thyroiditis, also called De Quervain's thyroiditis or granulomatous thyroiditis, the doctor typically recommends rest and aspirin, and the condition usually resolves within a few weeks or months. In cases that are slow to resolve, the doctor might recommend steroids or hormone replacement.
• For silent thyroiditis, which is less common that the other two types and usually occurs after pregnancy, treatment typically is not necessary and the condition usually resolves within three months. A small number of patients require hormone replacement.
• The EndocrineWeb.com offers an overview of types of thyroiditis and treatments.

• In some cases, the doctor prescribes beta blockers to control rapid heartbeat. These typically cost from about $10 -$200 per month.

• Some clinics offer specialist care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a locator for clinics that provide discounts on an income-based sliding scale.
• Some drug manufacturers offer free or discounted medicines to patients in need. For example, Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Synthroid, has a patient assistance program that provides a limited supply of free medication to low-income patients who do not have prescription drug coverage.

• A primary care physician can make a referral to an endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating problems with the endocrine system. Or, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists offers a doctor locator by city and state. To help patients find an endocrinologist who focuses on thyroid problems, the American Thyroid Association offers a thyroid specialist locator by state.

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