Omeprazole — what it treats, what it costs

What it should cost to fill

Strength	Cash price	With a discount card
20 mg capsule	$8 – $45	$4 – $15
40 mg capsule	$10 – $55	$5 – $18

Typical retail ranges, not quotes. What you are charged depends on the pharmacy and on how the claim is processed — which is exactly why it is worth asking.

Where the money goes

Compare the OTC box price against your copay before filling the prescription — this is one of the drugs where OTC often wins.

What else there is

Not recommendations. The tradeoff matters more than the name, and it is the part a prescriber will want to talk about.

Over-the-counter omeprazoleDifferent class

The same drug at the same strength, sold without a prescription — sometimes cheaper than the copay, sometimes not. It will not count toward your deductible.

Famotidine (Pepcid)Different class

Milder and very cheap. Enough for occasional heartburn, usually not enough for a diagnosed ulcer.

Worth asking

Do I still need to be on this, or was it meant to be short term?

Before you change anything.