Is Sublocade covered by Medicaid?

Key Points

• Most patients with Medicaid typically pay low or no cost for Sublocade (buprenorphine) if it is a preferred drug treatment by their state health plan. Your health plan and costs are determined by your state Medicaid program.
• You do not pick up this medicine in a pharmacy because your doctor will order it for you and give it to you in a doctor's office, clinic or hospital. Sublocade is usually supplied to your doctor from a specialty pharmacy.
• Sublocade is a long-acting subcutaneous (under the skin) injection given once-a-month to treat moderate to severe opioid dependence along with counseling and social support.
• It is used in patients who have initiated treatment with a single dose of a
  transmucosal buprenorphine product or who are already being treated
  with buprenorphine.

You can view detailed dosing instructions for Sublocade here.

All States provide coverage for outpatient prescription drugs to eligible enrollees. Medicaid is a US government-run health insurance program that provides medical assistance for low-income individuals and families. It is jointly run by the federal government and individual US states.

State Medicaid programs may provide coverage for Sublocade but it can vary based on your state formulary (the list of covered drugs). You may need to meet specific criteria or have used other treatments first without success before you are eligible to receive Sublocade.

You can ask your doctor if Sublocade is covered by Medicaid in your state. You can also search online for a formulary list of preferred Medicaid drugs in your state.

If you do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford your medicine, Indivior, the manufacturer of Sublocade (buprenorphine), may be able to assist you. You can contact Indivior by phone in the U.S. and Canada at 1-877-782-6966. You can also find their contact information here.

Sublocade is a long-acting, prescription medicine given by injection under the skin (subcutaneously) once a month. It steadily releases the partial opiate agonist buprenorphine into your bloodstream for the treatment of opiate dependence (opioid use disorder). It is used as part of a complete treatment regimen that also includes counseling and psychosocial support.

In February 2025, key changes were made to the Sublocade label:

• Rapid initiation Protocol: Healthcare providers can now initiate treatment with Sublocade after a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine and a one-hour observation period to confirm tolerability.
• Alternative Injection Sites: Sublocade can now be administered subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh, buttock, or back of the upper arm, offering patients and healthcare providers increased flexibility in treatment administration.

Sublocade is only given by a healthcare provider. Serious harm or death could result if you administer this drug into a vein (intravenously). Your doctor will order Sublocade for you and also administer it each month at their office, clinic or in a hospital. It is a long-acting medicine given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneoulsy) once every month.

This is not all the information you need to know about Sublocade (buprenorphine) injection for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor's instruction. Review the full Sublocade information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.

Related questions

• What are the different brands of buprenorphine?
• Is buprenorphine an opiate / narcotic?
• What is the difference between Sublocade and Brixadi?