Medications
Cefixime (Suprax and others)
A cephalosporin antibiotic (tablets, capsules, and oral suspension) for bacterial infections such as bronchitis, ear infections, urinary tract infections, and gonorrhea.
How Medicare covers it
Part D (forms used at home). Part A during a covered inpatient stay. No Part B clinician-administered form in the CMS Part B spending file.
| Coverage details | |
|---|---|
| Part B status | No cefixime row in the CMS Part B Spending by Drug HCPCS file (RY26, data through 2024) — no J-code basis; coverage path is Part D. |
| Medicare Advantage | Most Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage (MAPD plans) use the same formulary-and-tier system; the plan's own drug list decides coverage and copay — check the plan's formulary. |
| Medicare Supplement (Medigap) | Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans sold today do not include prescription drug coverage; drug coverage comes from Part D or an MAPD plan. |
What it treats
Bacterial infections: uncomplicated urinary tract infections, middle ear infections (otitis media), sore throat and tonsil infections (pharyngitis and tonsillitis), sudden flare-ups of chronic bronchitis, and uncomplicated gonorrhea of the cervix or urethra.
What it is for, in depth
Cefixime is an antibiotic for infections caused by bacteria. Per the label, it is prescribed for adults and for children 6 months and older with: uncomplicated urinary tract infections; otitis media (middle ear infection); pharyngitis and tonsillitis (throat and tonsil infections); acute flare-ups of chronic bronchitis; and uncomplicated gonorrhea of the cervix or urethra. It sits in the treatment path as an oral (by mouth) cephalosporin option for these infections — the label stresses it should be used only when an infection is proven or strongly suspected to be bacterial, so antibiotics keep working for everyone. Forms and strengths from the label: 400 mg tablets and 400 mg capsules; chewable tablets of 100 mg, 150 mg, and 200 mg; and powder for oral suspension that is mixed with water to make 100 mg per 5 mL, 200 mg per 5 mL, or 500 mg per 5 mL.
How it works
Cefixime is a cephalosporin antibiotic made in a lab. The label extract describes it only as a cephalosporin antibacterial drug and does not give a more detailed explanation of how it kills bacteria.
How it is taken
Taken by mouth. Adults take 400 mg once a day. Children 6 months and older take 8 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. Use it only for infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria, to help keep antibiotics working.
Common side effects
The most common side effects are stomach and bowel problems: diarrhea (16 out of 100 people), nausea (7 out of 100), loose stools (6 out of 100), stomach pain (3 out of 100), indigestion (3 out of 100), and vomiting.
Serious warnings
Serious allergic reactions, including shock and deaths, have been reported with cefixime — stop the drug and get care if a reaction happens. Diarrhea caused by the germ C. difficile can occur with antibiotic use; tell your doctor if you develop diarrhea during or after treatment so it can be checked.
Who should be careful
Never take this drug if you are allergic to cefixime or to any cephalosporin antibiotic. Children under 6 months old: safety and benefit have not been proven. Pregnancy: use only if clearly needed. Nursing mothers should consider pausing nursing during treatment. People with kidney problems whose creatinine clearance is under 60 mL per minute need a dose change. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU), note that the chewable tablets contain phenylalanine — your care team should add up the daily phenylalanine from all sources, including these tablets, before prescribing them.
Major interactions
Taking cefixime with carbamazepine has been reported to raise carbamazepine blood levels. Taking it with warfarin or other blood thinners has been reported to lengthen prothrombin time (slower clotting), with or without bleeding. Tell your care team if you take either drug.
Cost and saving notes
Cefixime is available as a generic drug (the package data tracks it under the generic name Cefixime), and generic versions often cost less than the brand name Suprax. Costs still vary by plan and by form. If you have limited income, Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) can lower Part D drug costs, and you can ask your plan about a tier exception if the copay is too high.
Why it is in its tier
Cefixime (Suprax and others) sits on Tier 4 in 80.8% of the plans that list it (4440 of 5495 listing plans). Tier 4 is the non-preferred tier — higher copays or coinsurance. The data-visible drivers: It is a generic product, and the CMS dashboard puts its average Part D spending at about $131 per beneficiary for 2024 — a relatively low-cost drug, which matches where plans place it. It is listed by 100.0% of Part D plans. The tier shown is the most common one; individual plans vary.
Sources
- SUPRAX (CEFIXIME) CAPSULE [DENTON PHARMA, INC. DBA NORTHWIND PHARMACEUTICALS] — DailyMed
- MedlinePlus — National Library of Medicine
- MedlinePlus
What official patient guides say
Take cefixime with or without food every 12 or 24 hours, at about the same times each day; for gonorrhea it may be given as a single dose. You should start to feel better in the first few days — if symptoms do not improve or get worse, call your doctor. Keep taking it even if you feel better: stopping too soon or skipping doses can leave the infection partly treated and make the bacteria harder to kill later. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for the next dose — then skip it and never double up. Shake the liquid well before each use, and chew chewable tablets fully before swallowing. Store tablets, chewable tablets, and capsules at room temperature away from extra heat and moisture (not in the bathroom); keep the liquid at room temperature or in the refrigerator, tightly closed, and throw away unused liquid after 14 days.
Source: MedlinePlus
Part D formulary coverage
| Formulary summary | |
|---|---|
| Most common tier | 4 |
| Plans listing this drug | 5495 |
| Total Part D plans | 5495 |
| Share of plans listing it | 100 |
| Formularies listing it | 286 |
| Tier | Plans |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 132 plans |
| Tier 2 | 584 plans |
| Tier 3 | 339 plans |
| Tier 4 | 4440 plans |
Source: CMS Prescription Drug Plan Formulary, Pharmacy Network, and Pricing Information Files — Monthly file 2026-10-15 (plan year 2027), file 2027_20261008.zip (data.cms.gov dataset ed1496ea-23e7-41f1-9292-172fa842ccfb): basic drugs formulary file + plan information file, both dated 20261031 inside the zip; downloaded and aggregated 2026-10-30. Medication RxCUI sets resolved through the NLM RxNav (RxNorm) API.
What you pay
| With Medicare Part D | |
|---|---|
| Most common tier | Tier 4 |
| Typical copay | $96 — half of plans charge between $75 and $100 |
| Typical coinsurance | 27.0% of the price |
| Based on | 4385 plans that cover this drug · 2027 plan year |
Without insurance, the cash benchmark is $2.4481 per unit (CEFIXIME 100 MG/5 ML SUSP) — about $73.44 for 30 units. NADAC benchmark — the average price pharmacies pay (CMS, as of 2026-11-04). Pharmacy shelf prices vary.
A tier is not a price; what you pay depends on your plan, pharmacy, and benefit stage; Extra Help or Medicaid can lower it further.
Sources: CMS Plan Benefit Package + formulary data; CMS NADAC · Checked 2026-11-07
Similar medications
Other medications in the same FDA pharmacologic class (Cephalosporin Antibacterial):
- Cefaclor
- Cefadroxil (Duricef and others)
- Cefazolin sodium injection
- Cefdinir (Omnicef and others)
- Cefepime injection (Maxipime and others)
- Cefotetan
- Cefoxitin
- Cefpodoxime (Vantin and others)
- Ceftaroline fosamil (Teflaro)
- Ceftazidime (Tazicef, Fortaz)
- Ceftazidime / avibactam (Avycaz)
- Ceftobiprole Medocaril (Zevtera)
Read next
Part D spending averages (2024)
| Brand name | Generic name | Total claims 2024 | Total spending 2024 | Total beneficiaries 2024 | Rank by beneficiaries 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cefixime | Cefixime | 17582 | 1.88567e+06 | 14341 | 894 |
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug (Drug Spending Dashboard), release RY26 P04 V10, data through 2024 (DSD_PTD_RY26_P04_V10_DY24_BGM.csv), downloaded 2026-10-30
Companies covering this drug
5,495 plans from 509 companies list this drug on a formulary for 2027. Search by company or plan name, or filter by tier. Cost sharing is the plan's published amount for this drug's tier in the initial coverage stage (1-month retail supply), where the plan publishes it; a blank means the plan does not publish it.
| Company | Plan | Tier | Copay | Coinsurance |
|---|
A tier is not a price; what you pay depends on your plan, pharmacy, and benefit stage; Extra Help or Medicaid can lower it further.
Coverage and costs change. Drug lists (formularies), tiers, and copays can change during the year and differ by plan. Always check with your insurance company or plan directly to confirm what is covered and what you will pay.
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