- If you are due for a refill, order if from your pharmacy now, or if you need a refill, contact your health care provider.
- If your refill is for 30 days, ask your doctor to write it for a 90-day supply. That will give you a cushion in case it’s difficult to find later.
- If your pharmacy can’t fill a full 90-day prescription due to short supply, see if you can take what’s available now and be contacted as soon as new stock comes in.
- Try to refill even if it’s too soon according to the insurer’s rules. Some insurers are waiving the transaction block when a pharmacist tries to refill the prescription before the allowed date, says Mike Ganio, a pharmacist and director of pharmacy practice and quality for the American Society for Health-System Pharmacists.
- Be sure to tell your pharmacist the reason you are taking the medication. Some states give pharmacists the discretion to decide which prescriptions to prioritize, if, for example, stock is low, says Ganio.
- If the drug is out of stock, ask the pharmacist for help locating a refill. Another location in the same chain may have it or a nearby hospital pharmacy may be able to fill it.
- Check with compounding pharmacies in your area. If the active ingredient in powder form is available, the specialty pharmacist may be able to make tablets for you, says Jenny Wai, chief pharmacist, Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
- If you believe you have been inappropriately denied a prescription fill, look up your state board of pharmacy. Most board websites have a telephone number and email address for consumer complaints.
- If your in-network pharmacy cannot fill your prescription, check with an out-of-network pharmacy. Your co-pay may be higher. If you have to pay out of pocket, save money by using a discount card or coupon from FamilyWize, GoodRx or WellRx. You enter the drug name and your zip code to get a list of pharmacies in the area and the discount cost for card users. The list does not indicate whether those pharmacies have available inventory.
- If your pharmacy and others in the area do not have any hydroxychloroquine in stock, ask your doctor for guidance. You can also report it to the FDA at [email protected].