Several people recently requested medications to have on hand in case an emergency disrupts the supply.
Here are some guidelines for these requests.
This is from a useful post written by a doctor after a local emergency…
“Ask your doctor for an additional prescription, explain what you’re doing and tell your doctor the meds will be going into storage,” says Dr. Rhodes. “Since many insurance companies will only cover a 30-day supply you may need to pay out of pocket. If your medication is very expensive, ask if there’s a generic substitute you could use in an emergency.”
Storing Medications
His other tips for storing medication include:
- Ask your doctor for pill or tablet medications because they will last longer than a liquid form. Then, vacuum seal the pills and store them in a cool, dry place to preserve effectiveness as long as possible. Dr. Rhodes says pills can last 1 to 2 years beyond the expiration date in these conditions.
- Label all medications clearly so if you are incapacitated and unable to take the medicine, someone else can dispense it to you. That means a label stating who the medication is for, what time of day you take it, and any special instructions.
The key to this process is communication. Go to the Gateway Psychiatric website, click on “online office” and then “current patient” and “medication related questions” and fill out the form to request a refill. List the pharmacy and medication name, dose, frequency, etcetera and then note in the comments section that you are asking for a prescription for a 30 day supply for emergencies. That is important because I keep track of prescriptions and generally will not approve a refill if it is more than two weeks early.
Again, note that your insurance company may not pay for this. And you may have to call your pharmacy and let them know that you are OK paying for the prescription.
You may want to use a different pharmacy for this prescription. The cheapest pharmacies in our area usually are the Costco pharmacies. You don’t have to be a member to get a prescription at Costco.
NOTE: Controlled substance prescriptions require setting up a phone conversation and I may not be able to write for an extra thirty day supply. Please send me an email if you want to set up a phone conversation.
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