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 |  | Over-the-Counter Treatments: $5-$20+ |  | With Health Insurance: Copays + 10%-50% Coinsurance |  | Without health Insurance: $10-$20,000+ |
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Athlete's foot and toenail fungus are the most common types of fungal infections of the foot. Athlete's foot causes redness and itching, while toenail fungus can cause thickened, discolored nails. Athlete's foot usually can be treated with topical medicine, while toenail fungus might require oral medication.
Typical costs: | - For patients with health insurance, the typical out-of-pocket cost for foot fungus treatment consists of a copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. Foot fungus treatment at a doctor's office and prescription medications typically are covered by health insurance, depending on the plan.
- For patients without health insurance, fungus treatment typically costs less than $20 for over-the-counter topical medications or generic oral medications to less than $100 for prescription topical medications and up to $500 or more for brand-name oral antifungal medications. It can cost up to $1,000 for laser treatment for nail fungus. In rare cases, for certain fungal infections such as eumycetoma[1] that are uncommon in the United States, costs can reach $20,000 or more.
- For example, over-the-counter creams, ointments, powders or sprays[2] for athlete's foot cost from under $5-$20 at Drugstore.com. And over-the-counter treatments for nail fungus[3] also cost about $5-$20.
- A 90-day supply of generic terbinafine, an antifungal commonly prescribed for nail infections, costs $10 at Walmart. Ciclopirox solution, a prescription topical medication for nail fungus costs about $25 for a bottle of the generic, and about $300 for the brand-name drug, Penlac, at DrugsDepot.com. An oral version of the brand-name antifungal Lamisil costs about $530 at DrugsDepot.com. And laser treatment for nail fungus[4] costs $500-$1,000, depending on the number of nails involved, at the office of podiatrist Michael Zapf in California.
- For treatment for a rare fungal infection such as eumycetoma[5] , if oral antifungal medications do not work, amputation can cost $20,000 or more.
Related articles: Plantar Wart Removal, Plantar Fasciitis Treatment, Health Insurance
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What should be included: | - Athlete's foot typically can be treated easily with over-the-counter topical antifungal cream, ointment or spray. If it does not respond to treatment, or if the patient has diabetes or is in pain, a doctor can prescribe a stronger topical medication or an oral medication such as itraconazole (brand name Sporanox)[6] or terbinafine (brand names Lamisil or Terbinex)[7] .The Mayo Clinic offers an overview of Athlete's foot treatment[8] .
- For nail fungus, an oral medication such as terbinafine (brand names Lamisil or Terbinex)[9] , taken once daily for 12 weeks, usually is the recommended treatment. It can take several months for the healthy nail to grow in. Topical medications such as antifungal lacquer are available, but they are much less effective and can take a year or longer to work. The Mayo Clinic offers an overview of nail fungus treatment[10] .
Additional costs: | - If athlete's foot or nail fungus recurs, additional treatment will be needed. It is important to wear cotton socks during treatment, change them frequently and wash socks and towels in very hot water to prevent recurrence or spread to others.
Discounts: | - Many hospitals and doctors give discounts of up to 35% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, UC Health in Cincinnati offers a 40% discount[11] .
- Some podiatrists offer discounts via their websites. For example, Primera Podiatry in Atlanta has a monthly special[12] that has offered discounts on laser treatment for toenail fungus.
Shopping for foot fungus treatment: | - A family doctor or podiatrist can treat foot fungus. The American Medical Association offers a doctor locator[13] . And the American Podiatric Medical Association offers a podiatrist locator[14] . It is important to make sure the podiatrist is certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine[15] or the American Board of Podiatric Surgery[16] , depending on their area of specialty.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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External Resources: | - emedicine.medscape.com/article/1090738-overview
- www.drugstore.com/templates/gn/default.asp?catid=184116&it=78&Nao=0&ipp=18&N=0
- www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&srch...
- www.zfootdoc.com/fungus_laser.htm
- emedicine.medscape.com/article/1090738-treatment#a1128
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000916/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001069/
- www.mayoclinic.com/health/athletes-foot/DS00317/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0001765/
- www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
- www.uchealth.com/patients-visitors/financial-services/discounts/
- www.primerapodiatry.com/whats-new/monthly-specials/
- extapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/recaptcha.jsp
- www.apma.org/Directory/FindAPodiatrist.cfm
- www.abpoppm.org/membership/public/public2.html
- www.abps.org/content/resources/FindADoctor.aspx
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