Get to Know Rx Refill Options

Refill online, by phone, or by mail

A Veteran and their partner reviewing their Rx refillsRefill your VA Prescriptions without a trip to the pharmacy. VA makes it easy for Veterans to request prescription refills from your PC, smartphone browser, or with a telephone call. Discover your prescription refill options to better manage your health care.

How long does it take for new prescriptions to be filled?

When a prescription is mailed to you, most of the time it doesn't come from your local VHA pharmacy; it comes from a VA Mail Order Pharmacy. It takes an average of 60 hours from filling to delivery.

How do you request a refill?

To receive a refill by your VA prescriber, you must request a refill using one of the ways below:

  • By phone: Most VA Pharmacies have automated telephone refill lines. The phone number of your local VA Pharmacy is on your prescription label. To order refills by phone, you need your prescription number (shown as Rx number on the prescription) and Social Security Number. You can also check VA medical facility telephone numbers online.

  • By mail: VA Pharmacy provides a refill request form with each prescription filled. To refill by mail, please complete the request form and mail it to your VA pharmacy at the address listed on the paperwork that arrives with your prescription.

  • Online: Veterans can use to request prescription refills online. Veterans must have a personal My HealtheVet Advanced or Premium account. You can view your prescription history and track the delivery status of your package online. Prescriptions that need special handling (such as refrigeration) are mailed from your local medical center and cannot be tracked on My HealtheVet at this time. To receive your prescription on time, request your refill at least ten days before you run out. VA will not process your refill until seven to ten days before you're scheduled to run out.

NOTE: Some prescriptions may not be refillable by VA Pharmacy. Examples of prescriptions the pharmacy cannot REFILL are:

  • Prescriptions from VA providers that you fill or obtain outside the VA;

  • Some controlled substances such as certain pain medications, which cannot be refilled; and

  • Short-term antibiotics.

Contact your VA healthcare team if you have any questions/concerns or need more of your medications.

Please do not wait until you are out or almost out of medicine to order your refills. Take your medications as your doctor says. Keep your medication list up to date and share it with your healthcare team.

If you would like to cancel a prescription you no longer use, please contact your health care team. The phone numbers for VA medical centers are the same as the pharmacy phone number of your prescription label.

When a prescription no longer has refills, and you need to remain on the medication, you must request a prescription renewal. You should contact your VHA provider as soon as possible to have a new prescription ordered. The best way to do this is to check the number of refills remaining on each medication every time you request a refill and before you visit your doctor.


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