When considering most of our decisions, we’re prone to wonder how much it will cost. For many people, money is not a luxury they can afford to forget about, so understanding the full cost of hormone replacement therapy is an important part of planning if it may be a feasible option for them. Keep reading to learn more about what human growth hormone therapy entails, what you have to pay for, the cost, influences of cost, and of course is it worth it.
What Is Human Growth Hormone Therapy?
Before getting into the cost of human growth hormone (HGH) therapy, you should know exactly what it is.
Human growth hormone replacement is the use of medications to help restore levels of growth hormone in the body.
HGH treatment is only used for people with a diagnosed growth hormone deficiency, and not for those looking for performance enhancement. Growth hormone therapy helps to balance the levels with analogs of the hormones that come in several different forms and brands. Growth hormone therapy may also include a comprehensive treatment plan that uses other medications to stimulate the production of endogenous growth hormone.
Growth hormone therapy can look a little different for everyone since no two people are alike, and many factors go into creating a comprehensive treatment plan.
What Do You Have To Pay for With Human Growth Hormone Therapy?
Human growth hormone therapy has many moving parts. Breaking down the costs associated with growth hormone therapy can help you to plan and budget accordingly.
- The first cost you will encounter is the cost of a physical exam to determine your health status regarding symptoms related to HGH deficiency.
- Next, you will need to pay for a diagnostic lab test, usually a blood test, to confirm the presence of a growth hormone deficiency.
- Once the results are back, you will pay for the consultation visit where an Elite HRT specialist will help to create a personalized treatment plan for you.
- The largest cost over time is likely the medications and supplies themselves.
- Other ongoing costs may include follow-up visits and lab tests to monitor the progress.
There are quite a few aspects to growth hormone therapy, but all are necessary to give the safest and most effective care possible.
How Much Does Human Growth Hormone Therapy Cost?
A common price range for hormone injections is around $1,000 to $5,000 per month.
However, growth hormone therapy will vary greatly from person to person. Since there are many factors that influence the exact cost of the treatment, there is no way to provide you with an exact quote of how much the overall treatment plan will cost.
It is best to reach out to your provider for specifics on price for your specific potential treatment plan.
With Elite HRT, your quote will come with your consultation.
Factors That Influence Therapy Cost
The biggest cost influencers can be broken down into insurance coverage, dose, and prescription. These are the three main areas that can make or break the bank when it comes to your growth hormone therapy cost overall. It is also important to recognize that dose can also depend on a variety of factors, such as weight and previous symptoms.
Insurance
About 9 percent of Americans do not have health insurance, and millions of Americans that are insured do not have adequate coverage.
When it comes to health insurance, you may not know how much you need it until it is too late. Some health insurances do not cover hormone replacement therapy at all, some partially cover it, and some completely do.
Because insurance is so variable from person to person you should check your policy if you do have insurance to see if it will cover your treatment.
If you do not have health insurance at all, growth hormone therapy is likely to be significantly more expensive than it would be with a full coverage insurance policy, and may be out of reach unless you find a provider who is willing to do financing, which is fairly uncommon.
Severity of Symptoms
The severity of symptoms you were experiencing before beginning hormone replacement therapy can significantly impact the dose that you are prescribed.
Consider when you have a headache and are trying to decide how bad it is so you can decide how much over the medication you should take as recommended. When the headache is worse you likely take the larger recommended dose than if it were a milder headache.
The same thing goes when your healthcare provider is determining your medication dosage. It is likely that if you have very mild symptoms, you may need a smaller dose than someone with extreme symptoms.
If you need a larger dose of hormones, over time you will end up paying more on medications and supplies.
Length of Therapy
Some people may only need to do human growth hormone therapy for a short period of time, while others may need lifetime treatment. How long you need to purchase medications and have continual provider visits will make a big difference in what your total treatment cost will be.
It is sometimes easier to consider the cost on a monthly budget as this can be an easier way to forecast. However, it can also be looked at as an investment, and assessing the total cost may help you to get a clearer picture of what you are signing yourself up for.
Ultimately the length of treatment will be determined by your healthcare provider based on your needs and hormone levels.
Weight
You may think that age or symptoms would be the best tool to determine the best dose of medication for you, but often, healthcare providers use a weight-based guide to determine how much is likely to be safe and effective for you.
Weight-based dosing takes your body composition into account and can be one of the best predictors for dosing. In fact, for children, weight-based dosing is almost always implemented since two ten-year-olds could be very different in weight.
When it comes to hormones, it is very important to have them in balance — a 100-pound person and a 300-pound person will need different dosages.
If your dose is higher based on your weight you can expect to likely pay more for your medications and supplies.
Type of Human Growth Hormone
A name-brand pair of shoes is probably more expensive than a generic brand of shoe. The same goes for medications. Generic brands are generally cheaper than the name brand. The medication that you are prescribed and that you purchase may be a different price based on its brand.
There may be several types of growth hormone. Each type is likely priced differently and formulated slightly differently. Some may work better for some and not others. Hopefully, with multiple medications to try, you will find one that will work just right for you.
Always take the medication that is prescribed for you. If cost is a concern let your provider know so they can consider that when choosing a medication for you.
Is HGH Therapy Worth It?
This is a question that you will have to consider yourself. What is worth it for each person is different and will depend on each situation.
Some main questions you may want to consider when deciding if it is worth it include:
- How bad are your symptoms from the deficiency?
- Do you have the financial stability to afford the treatments?
- How do you feel about getting hormone replacement treatments?
All of these are personal questions that must be fully assessed. Just keep in mind that if you were diagnosed with another condition, would you be debating if it was worth it to improve your quality of life?
Conclusion
Human growth hormone replacement therapy may be life-changing for many people. There may be many benefits including supporting weight loss, muscle gain, mental clarity, and more. But, the cost is always a factor that needs to be considered.
If the cost is the only thing holding you back from getting the treatment you need to try to be open-minded on how to afford this. There may be resources in your community, from the drug manufacturer, or even from your healthcare provider. Most of the time, the biggest step to getting a little help is just asking.
Sources:
US Health Care Coverage and Spending