How to get a prescription refill without a doctor

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you run out of medicine? The truth is, you don't always need your doctor to get a prescription refilled.

In some cases, you can work with a pharmacist or use an automated system to get your medicine. In other cases, you may be able to get an emergency supply until you can see your doctor for a refill.

Here's what to know in case you ever run out of your prescription medicine.

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How to get prescriptions refilled with or without a doctor

There are several ways to get a prescription refilled with or without a doctor. But at some point, your doctor or someone else on your care team who can write prescriptions will need to give you a prescription for your medicine.

With a doctor

If you have a primary care doctor, you should be able to make an appointment. At the appointment, you can talk about your medicines and ask for a new prescription.

"If you run out of a medicine, call your doctor. If you need to be seen by your doctor for a refill, we will typically give a 30-day refill to make sure you can schedule a visit within that time period," said Margaret Rush, MD, regional director and physician at ProHealth Physicians, a part of Optum.

Can't go in person? Many doctors take care of medicine refills for you by phone. This may be done either entirely through an automated menu or by putting you in touch with a person who will have your order looked over and filled by your prescribing doctor. But you may want to check with your doctor's office about their specific policy and any exclusions that may exist.

For example, if you're taking a controlled substance, your doctor may ask for a medicine check either in person or through a virtual visit before giving you a refill. They also may only be able to give you a certain number of refills within a certain period.¹

Some doctor offices have after-hours staff that can give "emergency" refills, as well. This can help if you run out of vital medicine over the weekend. It allows you to skip a visit to an urgent care clinic or the emergency room to get the medicine you need. But to take advantage of this perk, you likely need to be an active patient at that office.

If your medicine came from a specialist, you may need to make an appointment with them to get a refill.

Without a doctor

If you run out or are running low on a medicine that needs to be refilled but do not have a doctor you see often, you may still be able to get your prescription filled.

To start, you may want to talk with the pharmacy that originally filled your prescription. They may have one or more refills on file for the medicine. This means they can give you a refill without needing to have a doctor sign off on it again.

Pharmacies can vary in how they complete your refill requests. Many may offer refill requests by phone, online, or in person.

If you're out of refills, the pharmacy may call your prescribing doctor's office to ask for a refill for you. If the refill is denied, you'll likely need to schedule an in-person or virtual visit with your doctor to get your medicine refilled.

In the meantime, some pharmacies can give an emergency refill that will last a few days. This gives you time to get a refill from your doctor.

But meeting regularly with a primary care doctor is the best way to stay on top of your prescription refills and take care of your health. If you don't have a primary care doctor, search Optum Now to find a doctor near you.

Do you have to go back in person to the same doctor or can it be done virtually?

This depends on the doctor's policies, the medicines you take and state laws.

Some states will let pharmacists prescribe medicines you take regularly.¹

But if you take a controlled substance, you will need to see your doctor more often for medicine checks. Usually, only a certain number of refills are given in a set amount of time.²

What should I do if I run out of prescription refills?

In some cases, you may run out of refills at an inconvenient time. Or, you might not have a primary care doctor to talk with. Depending on your exact situation, there are a few ways to get an urgent refill:

• Call your doctor's after-hours phone line: Many offices have a team that can answer questions and fill prescriptions. Some may even take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note, an emergency refill may only include a few doses. You may need to see your doctor to get a full refill.
• Get in touch with your pharmacy to ask for a refill: They may reach out to your doctor for you to get permission for a refill.
• Schedule a virtual visit: You can make an appointment through Optum Perks to meet with a doctor online to get a refill of your medicine.
• Visit an urgent care clinic: These clinics can also be used in a pinch to prescribe medicine.

Above all else, it's important to stay on top of your regular doctor visits in order to keep up with your medicine refills. While it's normal to miss or have to reschedule a checkup here or there, "medicine is a two-way street," said Rush. "Your doctor may not continue to prescribe refills if you're not coming in to be seen."

Summary

Depending on your pharmacy and state, you may be able to get prescription refills with or without a doctor. If you set up automatic refills with your pharmacy, in most cases, if you run out of a refill, your pharmacy will contact your doctor. But this will vary based on what medicines you need. Some, like controlled substances, will need you to check in more often with your doctor before a refill is given.

If you run out of a medicine unexpectedly, ask your pharmacist about getting a refill. They can try to get in touch with your prescribing doctor or clinic for you. In some cases, the pharmacist may be able to give you a few doses to help you until you can see your doctor.

As a last choice, if your pharmacist cannot help you, you may need to visit an urgent care clinic or emergency room to get more medicine.

But the best way to stay on top of refills is to have regular visits with your primary doctor or clinic. You can find a doctor near you or schedule a virtual visit to stay on top of your health.