How to Help Your Patients Save Money on Combigan: A Provider's Guide to Savings Programs

Cost is among the most common reasons patients discontinue glaucoma therapy — and Combigan (brimonidine tartrate 0.2%/timolol maleate 0.5%) at over $278 per 5 mL bottle retail is not cheap. For ophthalmologists and optometrists managing patients on Combigan, understanding the full savings landscape allows your practice to intervene proactively, before cost-driven non-adherence leads to uncontrolled IOP and preventable vision loss.

Why Cost-Related Non-Adherence Matters in Glaucoma

Patients on Combigan are, by definition, on a second-line or add-on regimen — single-agent therapy wasn't sufficient. This means they're at higher risk for progression if IOP is not adequately controlled. Unlike many chronic conditions, even brief periods of uncontrolled IOP can cause irreversible optic nerve damage.

Cost-related non-adherence in glaucoma is well-documented. Studies consistently show patients skip doses, ration drops, or abandon therapy entirely when medications are unaffordable. A proactive savings conversation at every Combigan prescription improves adherence rates significantly.

Strategy 1: Default to Generic Combigan (Largest Immediate Impact)

The single most impactful step your practice can take is to default to prescribing generic brimonidine tartrate/timolol maleate ophthalmic solution 0.2%/0.5%. FDA-approved since April 2022, the generic is therapeutically equivalent to brand Combigan and costs dramatically less:

• Brand Combigan retail: ~$278/bottle
• Generic with GoodRx: ~$24–$34/bottle
• Generic with SingleCare: as low as $19–$28/bottle

Clinical considerations for generic substitution: The active ingredients and concentrations are identical. Minor differences in inactive ingredients or bottle design may affect tolerance in a small subset of patients with significant dry eye or preservative sensitivity. Consider a follow-up IOP check 4–6 weeks after any brand-to-generic switch for patients with narrowly controlled pressures.

Strategy 2: AbbVie AYS Co-Pay Assistance Program

For commercially insured patients on brand Combigan, the AbbVie AYS (At Your Service) co-pay card can dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs:

• Patient cost: As little as $30 per 30-day supply
• Annual benefit cap: $2,160 per calendar year for Combigan
• Eligibility: Commercially insured patients only. NOT valid for Medicare, Medicaid, or other government-funded programs.
• Enrollment: Call 833-342-5297, text SAVINGS to 72428, or visit savewithays.com. AbbVie representatives can also provide savings cards for your office to hand out at the point of prescribing.

Best practice: Keep a supply of AbbVie AYS savings cards in your office. Handing a savings card to the patient at the time of prescribing — before they encounter sticker shock at the pharmacy — prevents cost-related abandonment.

Strategy 3: myAbbVie Assist for Uninsured Patients

For uninsured or underinsured patients who cannot afford Combigan at any price, the myAbbVie Assist program provides the medication at reduced or no cost based on income. Eligibility criteria include financial need and lack of adequate prescription insurance coverage.

To enroll a patient: visit abbvieaccess.com/patient-assistance. The application requires physician verification of medical necessity. Build this application process into your workflow for patients who are clearly unable to afford Combigan at any out-of-pocket level.

38,004+ patients found their medications in stock

38K+

Find Combigan In Stock Today →

Strategy 4: Optimize Prior Authorization Submission

Prior authorization is required for Combigan on many commercial and Medicare Part D plans. PA denials and delays are a significant driver of cost-related access failures. Here's how to streamline the process:

1. Submit PA at the time of prescribing: Don't wait for a pharmacy denial. Check if Combigan requires PA on the patient's plan before they leave the office.
2. Document inadequate IOP control on prior therapy: PA approval for Combigan typically requires evidence that IOP was not adequately controlled on monotherapy. Include specific IOP readings and previous medications tried in your PA documentation.
3. Use generic first to avoid PA: Generic brimonidine/timolol may face fewer or no PA requirements on some formularies. If the patient is agreeable to the generic, this alone may resolve access and cost issues simultaneously.

Strategy 5: Third-Party Discount Cards for Medicare Patients

Medicare patients cannot use manufacturer co-pay cards, but third-party discount programs can still help — particularly for the generic:

• GoodRx: Generic from ~$24 at participating pharmacies. Medicare patients can use GoodRx if the Medicare plan doesn't cover the medication or if the GoodRx price is lower than their Medicare copay.
• SingleCare: Generic from ~$19–$28. Similar rules apply.
• Medicare Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy): Patients who qualify may pay $0–$11 for generic medications on their Part D plan. Patients receiving Medicaid, SSI, or with limited income and resources may be eligible. Refer patients to their State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for screening.

Skip the calls, skip the stress.

Find Combigan In Stock Today →

50K+

Medications
Found

99%

Success
Rate

6+

Hours saved
on average

Building Cost Conversations Into Your Clinical Workflow

Consider incorporating these simple steps at every Combigan prescription:

• At prescribing: ask "Have you been having any trouble affording your eye drops?" — many patients don't volunteer this information
• Confirm insurance coverage and PA status before the patient leaves
• Provide AbbVie AYS savings card if commercially insured
• Provide GoodRx/SingleCare coupon printout for uninsured or Medicare patients receiving generic
• At follow-up: ask whether the patient actually picked up and is using the medication — IOP readings that don't improve as expected may signal non-adherence, not medication failure

For help locating Combigan in stock for your patients, medfinder for providers is a tool your staff can use to quickly find which pharmacies near a patient have Combigan available. Combining affordability with availability gives your patients the best chance of staying on their glaucoma therapy.