I doubt it, if it's not a prescription. But just call your carrier and ask.

I found this post on another site for VSL #3 probiotic. This specific probiotic has been studied and shows favorable results in preventing flares of UC, Chron's, IBD, Pouchitis, etc. I borrowed the following information from another website to share so it's not my info but it is accurate. I have Coventry Health Insurance and they cover it. For the prescription strength it would have cost between $300 - $400 a month. With insurance, I'm only paying $40 a month. Here's the info:

"I just wanted to write this to consolidate some information scattered around the board and also add some information I've found on my own:

VSL DS - 1 sachet - 900 Billion Bacteria - prescription only - 20 sachets per box
VSL - 1 sachet - 450 Billion Bacteria - over the counter - 30 or 10 sachets per box
VSL Capsules - 1 capsule - 112.5 Billion Bacteria - over the counter - 60 capsules per bottle

The only VSL that is covered under insurance is VSL DS. It comes in boxes of 20, each sachet contains 900 billion bacteria with the commonly prescribed dose being 2 sachets per day. This is the dose that is noted as therapeutic in the studies that have been run and the recommended dose post pouchitis, after antibiotic treatment (1.8 trillion per day).

So, following the guidelines for a daily therapeutic dose post pouchitis you'd need:
2 VSL DS sachets daily - approximate cost for 30 days WITH INSURANCE COVERAGE, $188 (will vary with coverage)
4 VSL sachets daily - approximate cost for 30 days, $296-$394 depending on bulk ordering **
16 VSL capsules daily - approximate cost for 30 days, $376-$416 depending on bulk ordering **
** Pricing based off VSL website.

As you can see it pays to try and get insurance coverage if you want to stick with the established dosing guidelines - and if you're someone that struggles with pouchitis you probably do.

Insurance coverage:
Just because your pharmacy says it isn't covered doesn't necessarily mean that is the case. The customer service reps for your insurance might also give you the wrong information (some of mine did). For example I watched my doctor electronically send an order to my Wallgreens pharmacy for the VSL DS. I went to pick it up and was told it wasn't covered by insurance because it was over the counter. I took a look and it was the regular VSL sachets which are easy to spot because they come in a box of 30. Long story short i got it covered by doing some research and supplying the NDC (National Drug Code) directly to the pharmacist, which her system took and processed.

If you've been denied insurance coverage:
Step 1 - Make sure your doctor is specifically writing the scrip for VSL DS
Step 2 - Speak to your pharmacist and supply them with the below NDC
Step 3 - My next step is exploring the mail order program to see if I can drive the price down more. I will edit this step when this is completed.

VSL DS NDC - 54482093001

I also found 2 other codes in my research and I'm not sure what they're for. I'm including them in case they are of use to anyone, possibly the international community? Not sure but if someone wants to comment on them I can edit this as needed.
GCN (Generic Code Number) is 97109
DIN (Drug Identification Number) is 00903105"

Hope this helps.

Wow, that's awesome. Thank you so much.
I'll be seeing my doctor again soon so I'll make sure that I ask him about it, although I suppose I'll ask my pharmacy first.

Here's the website if you wish to learn a little more about VSL #3

http://www.vsl3.com/

Thank you for the info Naturefreek. I am going to look into vslds as well. My doc wanted me to take Align which is $30 a month and otc. With all my other meds I don't have an extra $30 a month. I contacted the manufacturer of Align and they just told me too bad so sad the retailers set the prices. It would be nice if insurance would cover a probiotic that the Dr. says I need. Good luck firefly709.

My GI wrote me a prescription for VSL#3- DS and my insurance did in fact cover it. Of course that will vary depending on your provider, but hopefully it will work out for you! Just be sure that your doc includes "DS" on the prescription, as the regular VSL#3 is NOT covered.

Keep us posted and good luck!