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Key takeaways
It is possible to get an early refill or a larger quantity of non-controlled substances prior to going on vacation. Controlled substances may require a “vacation override.”
See your healthcare provider before your trip and call your pharmacy about requesting a vacation override from your insurance company.
If you forget your medication, call your healthcare provider to transfer the prescription to a local pharmacy. If you’re overseas and it’s an emergency, bring a medication list to a hospital for medical advice.
There’s so much to love about vacation: Traveling away from home, spending quality time with family, and trying new activities. But perhaps the most exciting thing about vacation is the fact that it is free of all the responsibilities of your day-to-day life.
The best way to keep your vacation stress-free is by planning ahead for every possible scenario, such as sunburns, stomach bugs, flight delays, and weather cancellations. That’s especially true if you take a prescription medication that you’ll need to bring with you. If your trip is long or falls just as you’re running low on your meds, here’s what you need to know about preparing for a vacation.
Can I get my prescription early if I’m going on vacation?
Yes, it is possible to get a prescription filled early if you are going on vacation. Depending on the number of days you’re traveling and the type of medication, it works in three different ways.
- Regular refill: “Most insurance plans typically allow prescription drug refills when you have about 25% of your medication remaining, which usually translates to about seven to 10 days early for a 30-day supply,” says Roshni Patel, MD, an internist at Executive Medicine of Texas in Southlake, Texas. In other words, if your meds are going to run out during the first week of your trip, you are likely eligible to refill before you leave. Keep in mind that controlled substance prescriptions can typically only be filled a day or two early, depending on state laws.
- Three-month refill: If you travel regularly, ask your prescriber for 3-month supplies of all of your regular medications. “In my experience, getting a 90-day prescription is usually easier than frequent early refills. Many insurance plans actually prefer 90-day supplies because it’s more cost-effective,” Dr. Patel says. “I often recommend patients ask about switching to 90-day supplies for maintenance medications, especially if they travel frequently.”
- Vacation override refill: A vacation override is a special permission from your health insurance to refill a prescription early when you will be traveling at the typical time of refill. “Most insurance companies will approve overrides for trips of 14 days or longer, and you usually need to request this at least a week in advance,” Dr. Patel says.
You may need a vacation override if you’re taking an extended trip or if one of your prescribed medications is considered a controlled substance, a drug that is tightly regulated by the government because it carries a risk of abuse. These medications can typically only be refilled one to five days before a prescription runs out. Examples of common controlled prescriptions include ADHD medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin. Controlled substances, she adds, have stricter rules. The insurance company may require additional documentation from your healthcare provider, and pharmacies often have to verify with the provider that it is okay to fill early. What your early refill looks like will depend on the medication and your insurance company’s requirements. Just make sure you plan ahead.
How to get refills on medications before traveling
You’ve looked at your prescription medications, done the math, and determined that you need to get an early refill or a larger-than-normal quantity ahead of upcoming travel. Here’s what you need to do to make sure you have everything you need before you leave for your trip.
See your healthcare provider
Making an appointment with your healthcare provider about a month before your trip is a great opportunity to discuss your plans and your needs for your upcoming travel. Plus, you can ask them for a list of your medications and medical history to take with you, which will come in handy if any emergencies arise while you’re away. But if you can’t get an appointment, giving them a call can suffice. “Contact your prescribing provider as early as possible, ideally one to two weeks in advance,” suggests Ritu Nahar, MD, a gastroenterologist with Allied Digestive Health in central New Jersey. “They can send a prior authorization or note of medical necessity to your pharmacy or insurance company explaining why the early refill or extended supply is needed.”
Call your pharmacy
“Call them at least two to three weeks before your trip and explain you’re traveling,” Dr. Patel says. “The pharmacy staff are experts at navigating insurance rules and can often handle a vacation or travel override directly with your insurance company. They’ll know exactly what documentation is needed.” The pharmacy staff can often coordinate directly with your insurance or healthcare provider.
Contact your insurance company — if you need to
Experts say that if you get everything squared away with your healthcare provider and your pharmacist, you shouldn’t need to call your insurance company. Any necessary communication should happen between the pharmacist or pharmacy technician and the insurance provider. However, some policies can get tricky and require additional steps, such as speaking to the patient to verify that the vacation override is necessary.
What’s more, if you are taking a controlled substance that requires additional documentation for an early refill, it may be worthwhile to obtain that from your healthcare provider and send it to your insurance company directly so that they have it when the request comes in from your pharmacy.
What if I forgot my medication at home and need to refill it while on vacation?
“This is one of the most stressful situations for patients,” Dr. Patel says. If you need an emergency prescription refill, you have options. If you’re traveling domestically, call your home pharmacy first. Many large retail pharmacy chains, such as CVS or Walgreens, can transfer prescriptions to their locations nationwide. “If the medication is not transferable, as is the case for controlled substances or specialty medications, reach out to your prescribing provider to send a new prescription directly to a nearby pharmacy,” Dr. Nahar says. That way, you can pick it up ASAP.
“If you are unable to transfer the prescription or reach your provider, you can visit an urgent care center or local provider who can prescribe a temporary supply,” Dr. Patel says. This is when that medication list and medical history you got from your primary care provider prior to your trip becomes indispensable. You can present them to the provider you see, avoiding potential calls to your pharmacy, your provider at home, or even your insurance company.
For international travel, things get more complicated. “The complexity increases significantly compared to domestic travel due to different healthcare systems, regulations, and medication availability,” Dr. Patel explains. “Different medication names and formulations may create confusion while traveling internationally. The same drug might have completely different brand names, different strengths, or even different formulations.” That’s why, when preparing for travel abroad, Dr. Nahar suggests making sure your medication list has all your prescriptions written out with their generic names in addition to their brand names, which will make finding the correct drug easier.
That said, it can still be worthwhile to contact your home pharmacy first to see if they can expedite shipping to your location, though this can get pricey. “For chronic conditions requiring daily medication like diabetes, heart conditions, or seizure disorders, this becomes a medical emergency,” Dr. Patel says. “Seek immediate medical attention at a hospital and know that hospital physicians are more likely to have experience with international patients and medication equivalents.”
What happens if my insurance company does not approve a vacation override?
“This happens more often than patients expect, especially with expensive medications or controlled substances,” Dr. Patel shares. “When this occurs, I usually recommend three options: pay out of pocket for a temporary supply, ask me to prescribe a short-term bridge supply, or in some cases, I can contact the insurance company directly with a medical necessity letter.” If you opt to pay out of pocket, a SingleCare coupon can help cover the cost of your medication.
Since you’ll know whether or not your vacation override is approved before you leave for your trip, you should have time to contact your healthcare provider or have them call the insurance company. Indeed, going through your provider or your pharmacy is always going to be the easiest path to navigate, so you can get back to vacation mode as quickly as possible.
- Controlled substance, National Cancer Institute