The short answer
Refill online through VA's prescription tool, by calling the automated line at 888-370-1699, or by mailing the bar-coded refill slip. Online and phone refills can take up to 10 days, mail up to 15. If the prescription expired or has no refills left, that's a renewal: call Meds by Mail and ask for one.
Refill or renewal?
- Refill: the prescription is active and has refills left. Use any of the three methods below.
- Renewal: the prescription expired or has no refills. Call Meds by Mail and ask for a renewal.
Trying the refill line over and over won't fix an expired prescription.
Never used Meds by Mail for this drug? See How to start a new Meds by Mail prescription.
Three ways to refill
| Method | How | Time to arrive |
|---|---|---|
| Online | VA's prescription tool | Up to 10 days |
| Phone | Automated line, 888-370-1699, 24/7 | Up to 10 days |
| Bar-coded refill slip to Meds by Mail, PO Box 331178, Murfreesboro, TN 37133 | Up to 15 days |
Times come from VA's Meds by Mail page.
For the phone line, have your full Social Security number and prescription number ready. Only give your Social Security number on a call you made to the official number.
For mail, VA suggests sending the refill slip as soon as each delivery arrives. Mail is the slowest option.
Online, you can also track shipments.
How to renew
Call the Meds by Mail Service Center at 866-229-7389 or 888-385-0235, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Ask for a prescription renewal.
Renewals can take longer than refills, so start when you see you're on your last refill, not when you're on your last pills.
How to avoid running out
- Check refills left and the expiration date each time a shipment arrives.
- Use online or phone when timing is tight.
- Mail the refill slip right away if you use mail.
- Track shipments online.
- Don't rely on Meds by Mail for something urgent.
If you're about to run out, ask your prescriber for a short-term supply to fill at an OptumRx network pharmacy. That's covered under the regular pharmacy rules. More here: CHAMPVA prescription coverage.
If a refill doesn't go through
Check:
- Are there refills left?
- Has it expired?
- Is the prescription number right?
- Did you get other drug coverage? That ends Meds by Mail eligibility.
- Is the drug still available through Meds by Mail?
If it's still unclear, call the Service Center instead of resubmitting.