Patient Assistance ProgramsMay 4, 2026

What Happens If You Can't Afford to Stay on Eliquis? The Real Risks

Stopping Eliquis because of cost is more common than doctors know — and more dangerous than many patients realize. Here's what the risks are and what to do before you stop taking it.

Written by

J

Jacob Elich

Health Consulting & Business Operations

Jacob Elich is the founder of ClariMeds and an MBA-trained business operator with a background in health consulting and dealmaking. He started ClariMeds after watching family members struggle to afford medications they were prescribed but couldn't pay for — and realizing that the manufacturer assistance programs that could have helped them were largely invisible to the people who needed them most. His work focuses on closing that gap.

What Happens If You Can't Afford to Stay on Eliquis? The Real Risks

This conversation happens thousands of times a year, often in silence: a patient is prescribed Eliquis, picks it up once, sees the price, and quietly stops refilling it. They don't tell their doctor. They manage without it. They hope for the best.

This is one of the most dangerous — and most preventable — situations in medication access. Here's what you need to know about the risks of stopping Eliquis, and what to do instead.

Why Stopping Suddenly Is Dangerous

Eliquis prevents blood clots. When you stop it — especially abruptly — your clotting risk returns, sometimes to levels higher than before you started treatment.

For atrial fibrillation patients:

AFib causes the heart's upper chambers to beat irregularly, which allows blood to pool and clot. These clots can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Eliquis dramatically reduces this risk.

When you stop Eliquis, your stroke risk doesn't gradually rise — it rebounds relatively quickly. Studies on anticoagulant discontinuation have shown that the days and weeks immediately following sudden stoppage carry elevated risk. The anticoagulant effect of Eliquis wears off within 24–48 hours.

For DVT/PE patients:

If you've had a deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, you're at elevated risk of having another one. Eliquis prevents recurrence. Stopping it prematurely — before your treatment course is complete — reintroduces that risk.

Post-surgical patients:

For patients using Eliquis short-term after hip or knee replacement, stopping early (before the prescribed duration ends) increases the risk of post-surgical clots, which can be life-threatening.

What Patients Often Don't Know

The clinical literature on medication non-adherence — including non-adherence due to cost — consistently shows that patients often don't disclose it to their prescribers. Cost is a sensitive topic. Patients may feel embarrassed, or may assume their doctor can't help.

This silence is dangerous. Doctors make treatment decisions — including whether to recommend certain procedures, surgeries, or lifestyle changes — partly based on whether a patient is anticoagulated. If your doctor doesn't know you've stopped Eliquis, they may make recommendations based on incorrect assumptions.

Tell your doctor. Even if it's uncomfortable. A good clinician would rather know and help you find a solution than not know.

What to Do Before You Stop

If you're facing a situation where you can't afford your next refill:

1. Call your doctor's office immediately. Tell them the situation. Many practices have patient assistance coordinators or social workers who can help. Your doctor may also have samples that can bridge a gap.

2. Ask about switching to generic apixaban. Generic apixaban (the active ingredient in Eliquis) is now available and can be significantly cheaper. Your doctor can update your prescription.

3. Apply for the BMS Access Support program. Bristol-Myers Squibb provides free Eliquis to qualifying patients. Applications take 1–2 weeks. If you're uninsured or underinsured, you may qualify regardless of income level.

4. If you're on Medicare, apply for Extra Help. The Low Income Subsidy can reduce your Eliquis cost to $0–$10/month. Applications are processed by Social Security.

5. Use GoodRx for generic apixaban as a bridge. If you need a prescription filled today and are working on a longer-term solution, generic apixaban with GoodRx may be available for $40–$120 per month at some pharmacies.

What If There's Truly No Option Right Now?

In consultation with your doctor — not on your own — there are medically supervised options:

  • Warfarin is an older anticoagulant that costs as little as $4/month as a generic. Switching to warfarin requires more monitoring (regular INR blood tests) and has dietary considerations, but it provides anticoagulation. Many patients successfully manage on warfarin.
  • Aspirin is not a substitute. Some patients assume they can switch to aspirin as a blood thinner. For most AFib and DVT/PE patients, aspirin is not clinically equivalent to an anticoagulant. Do not make this substitution without your doctor's guidance.

The Assistance Programs Exist For This Exact Reason

Patient assistance programs were created specifically for patients who cannot afford their medication. There is no stigma in using them — that is their purpose.

ClariMeds was founded because navigating these programs is genuinely hard. The applications require documentation, doctor coordination, and follow-up. We handle all of that.

If you're approaching a point where you can't afford Eliquis, contact ClariMeds now. Don't wait until you've already stopped taking it.

Paying too much for your medication?

ClariMeds connects you to free or low-cost medications through manufacturer assistance programs — and handles every step of the application for you.

See If You Qualify — Free
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