How to Switch to 90-Day Prescription Refills

A 90-day refill means your pharmacy gives you a three-month supply of medication in one bottle instead of a one-month supply. For people who take the same medication every day, this is a smart change. You make fewer trips to the pharmacy, you pay one copay instead of three. And you are less likely to run out at a bad time like during a holiday or a snowstorm.

Most insurance plans, including Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage, allow 90-day refills for maintenance medications. Maintenance medications are the ones you take long-term, such as drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid, depression, or acid reflux. Short-term medications like antibiotics or pain relievers are not eligible for 90-day refills, since they are only meant for a brief illness.

The switch is straightforward but it does require your doctor to write a new prescription. The original prescription was probably written for a 30-day supply with refills. Your doctor needs to write a new one that says 90 days. You can ask at your next appointment, or call the doctor's office and request the change over the phone. Many offices handle this through their patient portal as well.

Once the new prescription is at the pharmacy, you can choose where to fill it. Most chain pharmacies fill 90-day supplies in person. Mail-order pharmacies, such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, OptumRx, and Humana Pharmacy, send a 90-day supply directly to your home and often offer the lowest prices. Check with your insurance plan to see which option costs less. Some plans require mail-order for 90-day refills, while others let you choose. The savings can be $100 to $400 a year on a single medication, especially if you take several daily prescriptions.