I Had 2 Stents Placed In Early 2016. I Had

I had 2 stents placed in early 2016. I had 2 previous stents placed in 1998. My Cardiologist prescribed effient as a platelet inhibitor. It has worked fine, but the cost is pretty high (about $5-$7 per pill, i.e. per day out-of-pocket!). I know effient is the branded prasugrel, but don't know if the generic is exactly like it. When I inquired about going with the generic with my Cardiologist, his comment was "it was saving my life, so don't tinker with it". It sounds pretty open and shut, but the cost is pretty excessive.