Which antidepressants are compared here?

This page compares 9 antidepressants from the CMS Medicare Part D dataset (calendar year 2024): Trazodone HCl, Sertraline HCl, Duloxetine HCl, Escitalopram Oxalate, Mirtazapine, Fluoxetine HCl, Bupropion XL, Citalopram HBr, Venlafaxine HCl ER. Each is shown with its real average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit in US dollars.

What is the cheapest antidepressant by Medicare spending per unit?

Among these drugs, Citalopram HBr had the lowest average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit at $0.1178 (calendar year 2024), and Mirtazapine the highest at $0.464. This is program spending per billing unit, not a retail price, and dosage units differ between drugs.

Is this the price I would pay for antidepressants?

No. These figures are average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit from CMS open data, not a pharmacy cash price or per-prescription cost. What you pay depends on your pharmacy, insurance, manufacturer, dose and region. This is information only, not medical advice.

Antidepressants: Cost Comparison

Antidepressants span SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, citalopram), SNRIs (duloxetine, venlafaxine) and other agents (bupropion, mirtazapine, trazodone). Most are low-cost generics in Medicare Part D.

Across these 9 drugs, average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit ranges from $0.1178 (Citalopram HBr) to $0.464 (Mirtazapine) for calendar year 2024. Figures are real CMS open data, in US dollars.

How much do antidepressants cost in the US?

As of calendar year 2024, average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit for these 9 antidepressants ranged from $0.1178 (Citalopram HBr) to $0.464 (Mirtazapine), per CMS open data. These are Medicare program spending figures per billing unit — not pharmacy cash prices, and not medical advice.

Source:CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug·as of calendar year 2024updated yearly (last: 25 June 2026)

Not medical advice — and not a like-for-like price. Each figure is average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit, taken unchanged from a public US government dataset. A “dosage unit” differs between drugs (one tablet, one mL, one pen, etc.), so a higher per-unit figure does not always mean a higher monthly cost. These are not pharmacy cash prices, not per-prescription costs, and not price quotes. Always consult a licensed pharmacist or clinician about depression and anxiety disorders.

Antidepressants — CMS Medicare Part D average spending per dosage unit, calendar year 2024 (CMS, public domain)
Drug	Generic (active ingredient)	Avg Part D spending / dosage unit	2024 Part D claims
Trazodone HCl	Trazodone HCl	$0.1467	18,424,765
Sertraline HCl	Sertraline HCl	$0.1539	16,148,462
Duloxetine HCl	Duloxetine HCl	$0.3506	13,094,360
Escitalopram Oxalate	Escitalopram Oxalate	$0.1903	12,685,003
Mirtazapine	Mirtazapine	$0.464	8,338,476
Fluoxetine HCl	Fluoxetine HCl	$0.1629	7,481,805
Bupropion XL	Bupropion HCl	$0.4038	6,831,216
Citalopram HBr	Citalopram Hydrobromide	$0.1178	6,741,609
Venlafaxine HCl ER	Venlafaxine HCl	$0.3469	5,423,191

Figures are CMS’s own published Medicare Part D spending values (field Avg_Spnd_Per_Dsg_Unt_Wghtd_2024), reported unchanged. The most-prescribed drug in this group in 2024 was Trazodone HCl (18.4 million claims). View the full dataset on CMS data.cms.gov.

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Trazodone HCl

Avg Medicare Part D spending

$0.1467 / dosage unit

calendar year 2024

2024 Part D claims

18,424,765

how common it is

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This is average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit, not a pharmacy cash price or a per-prescription cost. Information only — not medical advice and not a price quote.

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Frequently asked questions

Which antidepressants are compared here?: This page compares 9 antidepressants from the CMS Medicare Part D dataset (calendar year 2024): Trazodone HCl, Sertraline HCl, Duloxetine HCl, Escitalopram Oxalate, Mirtazapine, Fluoxetine HCl, Bupropion XL, Citalopram HBr, Venlafaxine HCl ER. Each is shown with its real average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit in US dollars.
What is the cheapest antidepressant by Medicare spending per unit?: Among these drugs, Citalopram HBr had the lowest average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit at $0.1178 (calendar year 2024), and Mirtazapine the highest at $0.464. This is program spending per billing unit, not a retail price, and dosage units differ between drugs.
Is this the price I would pay for antidepressants?: No. These figures are average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit from CMS open data, not a pharmacy cash price or per-prescription cost. What you pay depends on your pharmacy, insurance, manufacturer, dose and region. This is information only, not medical advice.
Can a GeraClinic clinician help with depression and anxiety disorders?: A GeraClinic clinician can review your medication for depression and anxiety disorders, explain the options, and issue or renew a prescription online where clinically appropriate. GeraClinic only lists independently verified, licensed clinicians.

Need help with depression and anxiety disorders?

A GeraClinic clinician can review your medication, explain the options, and issue or renew a prescription online where clinically appropriate — without travelling to a clinic.

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Contains public sector information published by U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and licensed under the U.S. Government Works / Public Domain. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug (calendar year 2024, published 2026-06-25).

Informational/educational only — not a substitute for professional medical advice; a clinician interprets results.