How To Fill A Prescription At A Different Pharmacy

If you have refills at one pharmacy you will need to get them transferred from the original pharmacy to get the refill from the new pharmacy. But it’s easy.

Steps for transferring your prescriptions

Call or visit the pharmacy you want to transfer your prescriptions to and tell your new pharmacy that you want to transfer your prescriptions from your old pharmacy. Give them the name, strength, and prescription number of each of your prescriptions you want to transfer and provide the phone number of your old pharmacy so your new pharmacy can call to transfer your prescriptions on your behalf.

Step 1 – Before going through the transfer process, know which prescriptions can and cannot be transferred.

Cannot be transferred:

Schedule II controlled substance medications cannot be transferred since they are not eligible for refills. You will need a new prescription from your physician. They also aren’t eligible for refills; your doctor will need to give you a new prescription every time you fill. Some popular examples of Schedule II controlled substances include Addreall, Concerta, Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxycotin.

Can only be transferred once:

Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substance medications can only be transferred once even if refills remain. If you have transferred these already you will need to get a new prescription from your physician. Some popular examples of Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances include Ambien, Tylenol with Codeine, Xanax, Ultram, and testosterone.

How to fill a prescription at a different pharmacy

Step 2 – Give your new pharmacy the following information,

including: your Name, your date of birth, address, telephone number. Some additional information, although not needed for a transfer is a safe idea. Provide your new pharmacy; a list of allergies you may have, your doctor’s name and phone number, a current list of medications you take, and your current insurance information if you are insured.

Step 3 – Allow time for your prescriptions to be transferred. 

Ask your pharmacist when they expect to receive your transferred prescriptions. Depending on how many prescriptions you have it may take a day or two for the transfer. Call your physician’s office if you need a new prescription and provide them the name and phone number of your new pharmacy.

You do not need to transfer your prescriptions if you are getting a refill from a pharmacy within a chain like Walgreens or CVS. Every Walgreens or CVS can access your profile from any of their store locations nationwide.

Filling new prescriptions at different pharmacies or different chains can be very economical when looking for the best price but be cautious as there might be the possibility of a sever drug-to-drug interaction if your new pharmacy is not aware of all the medications you take.

Pharmacies maintain an electronic record of all the prescriptions you filled at their location but not from other pharmacies so a drug may interact negatively with medications you are already taking. The pharmacy’s software systems notify pharmacists of these interactions when filling prescriptions within their stores but they will not be aware of medications from prescriptions you filled elsewhere.