Does Medicare Cover Keppra?

Christian Worstell | January 02, 2024

Keppra helps prevent seizures and can be an important medication for those with epilepsy. Find out about medication costs and available Medicare coverage.

Keppra can be a vital medication for people who experience seizures. People living with epilepsy may qualify for Medicare before age 65, and many options are available to Medicare beneficiaries who need this medicine.

Does Medicare Cover Keppra?

Yes, all Medicare prescription drug plans cover Keppra. Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for this medication. However, some plans may require a co-pay, or the plan may only cover the generic form of Keppra.

What Is Keppra?

Keppra is a brand name for the generic drug levetiracetam. This drug is used to treat epilepsy and prevent partial-onset seizures in adults and children. Partial-onset means the seizure only affects one part of the brain. Levetiracetam works by reducing abnormal activity and excitement in the brain.

Keppra comes in the following forms:

Immediate release tablets
Dissolving tablets that can be mixed with liquid
An extended-release form, known as Keppra XR

Levetiracetam is also sold under the brand names Elepsia and Spirtam.

What Tier Is Keppra and How Much Does It Cost?

Medicare plans list drugs under five tiers, and those in the higher tiers tend to cost more or aren't covered. Many plans list levetiracetam under tier 1, which means there's good coverage for this medication. Brand name and extended-release Keppra may be listed as tier 2 or 3.

Many Part D and Medicare Advantage plans completely cover Keppra or its generic, and beneficiaries won't have to pay anything for this medication. However, some plans may require you to meet a deductible before coverage kicks in. Some plans require a co-pay ranging from $1 to around $100, depending on what type of medication you need. The co-pay for extended-release Keppra tends to be higher than that for generic levetiracetam.

You may have other options if the medication is too expensive under your Medicare drug plan. For some forms of Keppra, you may be able to get a lower price with a prescription drug discount plan. For example, depending on your Medicare plan, your co-pay could be around $100. However, some prescription drug discount plans and coupons allow you to get the medication for approximately $20. Keppra XR can cost up to $267 with no coverage.

About the Author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdivsor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

While at HelpAdvisor, Christian has written hundreds of articles that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. You can find Christian’s most recent articles in our blog.

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