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 |  | With Health Insurance: $5-$85+ Copays |  | Without Health Insurance: $30-$550+ |
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Thrush is a yeast infection that causes sores on the mouth and tongue. It is common in babies, but not healthy adults. Diabetes, HIV infection, chemotherapy, or antibiotic or steroid use can increase the chances of thrush.
Typical costs: |
- For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs for thrush treatment typically consist of a doctor visit copay of $5-$30 or more and a prescription drug copay of $5-$85 or more, depending on the drug and the plan. Thrush treatment typically is covered by health insurance.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, thrush treatment typically costs nothing if the patient is a baby and the thrush resolves on its own within two weeks. Or, it typically costs less than $30 for at-home care with yogurt and/or acidophilus capsules and hydrogen peroxide for a mild case caused by antibiotics. For more stubborn cases, including patients with an underlying condition, it typically costs about $50 for generic or up to $200 or more for brand-name oral antifungal medication.
- Prescription mouthwash typically costs less than $50-$250 or more, depending on the length of treatment, or less than $100 to almost $550 for prescription lozenges, depending on length of treatment. Drugstore.com charges about $50 for a two-week supply of generic fluconazole oral antifungal medication or $200 for a two-week supply of the brand-name equivalent Diflucan. And Drugstore.com charges about $40-$260 for Nystatin prescription mouthwash, depending on the size of the bottle.
- And, for Clotrimazole prescription lozenges, Drugstore.com charges about $90 for 70 lozenges up to about $540 for 420 lozenges. The amount of mouthwash or number of lozenges needed depends on the time it takes for the thrush to clear up; it can take days to months.
Related articles: Well Baby Doctor Visit, Diabetes Medication, STD Testing, Health Insurance
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What should be included: |
- Thrush typically can be diagnosed with a visual examination.
- In infants, thrush typically goes away on its own within a few weeks, so treatment might not be needed. Otherwise, a doctor might prescribe a topical antifungal drug such as nystatin[1] mouthwash or lozenges or clotrimazole[2] lozenges. For patients who have severe thrush that has spread to other parts of the body or who have HIV, a doctor might prescribe an oral antifungal such as fluconazole[3] (brand name Diflucan).
- The National Institutes of Health offers a patient guide[4] to thrush.
Additional costs: |
- If the patient is a breastfeeding baby, the mother might develop nipple thrush. In that case, a doctor typically will prescribe an antifungal cream such as nystatin[5] .
Discounts: |
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a locator[6] for clinics with sliding fee scales based on income.
- Some drug manufacturers offer patient assistance programs. Any patient without prescription drug coverage who also is not eligible for Medicare typically qualifies for Together Rx Access[7] , a discount card that offers 25-40% off many brand-name drugs.
Shopping for thrush treatment: |
- A pediatrician, family doctor or dentist can diagnose and treat thrush. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a pediatrician locator, and the American Dental Association offers a dentist locator[8] .
- Depending on the individual case and body parts affected, it might be necessary to consult a specialist. For example, patients with HIV-related thrush should visit an HIV specialist regularly and patients with diabetes should see an endocrinologist.
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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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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: Tipper in Sugar Land, TX. | Posted: June 20th, 2019 05:06PM |
| Treatment: fluconazole | Clinic or Health Center: Methodist |
| Provider: First Health |
Thirty minute doctor's appointment in which she basically read an article to me on how to treat it ($200), and then spending a s load with a 50% discount card for a three month supply of meds since it was recurrent.
Came back 6 months later because my doc didn't feel the need to mention I should do a follow up treatment, even though she knew I had a chronic problem. |
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External Resources: |
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000767/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000765/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000890/
- www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000626.htm
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000767/
- findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
- www.togetherrxaccess.com/p/prescription-savings/about-together-rx-access/enroll.aspx
- www.mouthhealthy.org/en/find-a-dentist.aspx
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