How to Get Suboxone Without Insurance

Drug manufacturing companies offer two programs for people to get Suboxone without insurance. Some come with eligibility requirements, but if you qualify, you could fill your doctor's prescription for Suboxone without using health insurance benefits.

First, you should never purchase Suboxone illicitly. You may not be getting buprenorphine at all, but instead another substance that may or may not be contaminated. If you want Suboxone therapy but your insurance isn’t paying for it, work with your doctor: they can often help get you an authorization for insurance to pay, or can direct you to other financial assistance programs that will pay for the medication. 

Legal Ways to Get Suboxone Without Insurance

If your doctor has written a prescription for Suboxone but you don’t have insurance to help you pay, the drug’s manufacturer could help. Two programs are available.

The InSupport program helps you save money on your Suboxone prescription. You’ll get a discount on one box of films per month, directly from the drug manufacturer.

Nice Rx requires a monthly fee, and with it, you’ll get your Suboxone prescriptions sent directly to you. Limitations apply, and some people making a decent salary may not qualify.

Should You Buy Suboxone From a Dealer?

No, never. Suboxone is a prescription medication, and it is illegal to purchase it without a prescription. You could face legal consequences for purchasing Suboxone illicitly. In addition, you may not be getting buprenorphine at all, but instead another substance that may or may not be contaminated, leading to overdose or death. [1]

Is Suboxone Addictive?

Yes and no. The buprenorphine in Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist, which means the body can develop dependence on it, in the same way (albeit usually to a lesser extent) as other opioids. In this sense, it can be “addicting”.

On the other hand, it is much less likely to cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms as compared to full opioid agonists like oxycodone, heroin or fentanyl. In addition, it carries a much lower rate of overdose as compared to these drugs, and is therefore overall much safer.

The majority of people who misuse Suboxone do so to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms or sustain abstinence.[2] They do not buy and misuse the drugs to get high with them, but simply in an honest effort to treat withdrawal symptoms. [3]

Treatment Options for Suboxone Misuse

If you're misusing Suboxone - either in an attempt to get high, or simply just to treat withdrawal symptoms from other opioids - getting a regular, reliable prescription is much safer than purchasing Suboxone illicitly. Talk to your doctor about your needs. Together, you can come up with a plan that can help.

Sources

1. Fentanyl-Contaminated Drugs and Nonfatal Overdose Among People Who Inject Drugs in Baltimore, MD. Harm Reduction Journal. https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0240-z. July 2018. Accessed September 2022.
2. Buprenorphine in the United States: Motives for Abuse, Misuse, and Diversion. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740547218304720. September 2019. Accessed September 2022.
3. Five Myths About Using Suboxone to Treat Opiate Addiction. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-myths-about-using-suboxone-to-treat-opiate-addiction-2018032014496. October 2021. Accessed September 2022.
4. Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine/Naloxone Diversion, Misuse, and Illicit Use: An International Review. Current Drug Abuse Reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3154701/. August 2011. Accessed September 2022.
5. Buprenorphine. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459126/ May 2022. Accessed September 2022.