I am worried about running out of my supply of prescription medication. What should I do?

The answer depends on how you are insured. Examples of this include employer/private coverage, Medicare, and HUSKY Health (Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, CHIP). 

In addition to the below, the Department of Consumer Protection has issued guidance for those concerned about keeping an adequate supply of their prescriptions.

For those who have employer/private coverage:

Connecticut pharmacists are able to fill a ninety-day refill of prescription drugs (other than controlled substances) under certain circumstances, even if the original prescription was for 30-day refills. Those circumstances are: the refill is made after you've received your first "fill"; the refill does not exceed the total prescribed quantity (i.e., if you're on the twelfth of twelve 30-day refills, you can't get more than a 30-day refill). 

Connecticut's health insurance companies have agreed to cover the ninety-day refill (with appropriate co-pays) for their "fully-insured" customers. You are probably fully-insured if you work for a small business or purchased your own coverage through Access Health CT or a health insurance broker. If you are a "self-insured" customer, which means that you get your health insurance from your employer and your employer is not a small business, then your health insurance is regulated by the federal government, not the state of Connecticut. We have encouraged, but cannot require, employers to follow the lead of the state-regulated plans. 

If you rely on maintenance drugs to treat a chronic or long-term condition, you should contact your pharmacist to discuss acquiring these refills. You can also speak with your insurance company about receiving refills by mail order. 

Shortages may prevent the pharmacy from providing the full amount of a drug refill. We encourage patients to sign up for auto-refills when available. Lastly, pursuant to Executive Order 7I, a pharmacist can use their professional discretion and training to issue a 30-day supply of a prescription (not including controlled substances) if the prescribing physician cannot be reached. 

For further information from the Department of Insurance, please see: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/CID/1_Bulletins/Bulletin-IC-39.pdf?la=en

If you are covered by Medicare only:

Connecticut has encouraged, but cannot require, Medicare plans to cover 90-day supplies of prescription drugs. 

If you are covered by HUSKY Health:

During the period of the public health emergency, the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) is permitting 90-day supplies of prescription medications other than controlled substances. It is also permitting early refills of needed medication. Contact your prescriber for assistance with this. If you have other questions about your prescription drug coverage, call 1.800.859.9889. If you would like to speak with a nurse, call the HUSKY Health Nurse Helpline, also at 1.800.859.9889, and follow the prompts to talk to a nurse who will answer your questions.