A prescription refill is a request for more medication that a physician or other healthcare professional has already prescribed. This procedure allows patients to get more medication dosages without making an appointment or getting a new prescription from their doctor.

As a patient, you can ask your pharmacist for a prescription refill when you run out of your drug supply, and the pharmacist will contact your healthcare provider to get the refill approved. An evaluation of your condition may be necessary before the healthcare professional approves the refill request and sends a new prescription to the pharmacy.

Here are things to know before your next prescription refill.

Save time by calling beforehand.

Call to see if the prescription is ready before heading to the pharmacy to pick it up. This will assist you in avoiding any delays caused by the pharmacy having to order a drug if the medication requires prior authorization from the insurance or even because the doctor has not yet sent your prescription to the pharmacy.

Make sure your medicine is listed on the formulary

A formulary highlights prescription medications covered by a specific health plan, including name-brand and generic medications. It is sometimes referred to as a drug list. Drugs on the formulary will have a fixed copay. The copay is usually higher if the medicine is not on the list.

You can save money with a generic version.

Check to see if your medication has a generic alternative. More than 10,000 generic alternatives to brand-name medications have received FDA approval, providing high-quality, effective drugs at much-reduced costs. You give yourself the best chance to save money by asking the pharmacist whether there is a generic. If the response is no, the pharmacist might request an appropriate generic substitute from your doctor.

Shop around

Drug pricing may range at different pharmacies depending on how the prescription plan is set up and whether it has a deductible. So shopping around for the best pharmacy for your preferences is advisable.

Ask about automatic refill reminders.

Inquire about the pharmacy’s automated refill reminder program before ordering a prescription refill. Ask the pharmacist if they can schedule your refills so you can conveniently pick up all your meds in one trip if you take multiple medications as part of maintenance therapy.

Avoid last-minute rushes

Don’t wait until the last minute to have your pharmacist renew your prescriptions. In some rare cases, the manufacturer may have back-ordered a particular medication if it is unavailable at the pharmacy, local distribution center, or both. Furthermore, specific drug batches may be recalled for various reasons, resulting in a scarcity of medicines and interfering with therapy.

Ask about any special requirements.

Last but not least, ask your pharmacist about the directions for use. Some of the questions to ask include the following:

  • Are there any specific storage requirements?
  • What is the best time to take my doses?
  • Are there any drug interactions?
  • What if I miss my dose?

Even if you have been on the medication for a while, you may discover something new that you never knew about.