How to Get 90-Day Fills to Lower Prescription Costs

What if you could get three months of your medication for the same price as one month? That’s not a trick. It’s a real, widely available option called a 90-day prescription fill - and it’s one of the simplest ways to cut your out-of-pocket costs without changing your meds or your doctor.

If you take medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, asthma, or any other long-term condition, you’re probably used to picking up a 30-day supply every month. That means 12 trips to the pharmacy a year. Each time, you pay the same copay - often $10, $20, or more. But if you switch to a 90-day supply, you pay that same copay just four times a year. You get 60 extra days of medicine for free. That’s not just convenient - it’s savings you can count on.

How Much Can You Really Save?

Let’s say your copay for a 30-day supply is $4.90. That’s common under many Medicare Part D and commercial insurance plans. If you refill every month, you pay $58.80 a year. Switch to a 90-day fill, and you pay $4.90 just four times - $19.60 total. That’s $39.20 saved per medication, every year. Multiply that by three or four meds, and you’re talking $100-$150 saved annually, just by asking for a longer supply.

Some plans even offer lower copays for 90-day fills. For example, the LINZESS Savings Program lets eligible patients pay as little as $30 for either a 30-day or 90-day supply - meaning you get triple the pills for the same price. And if you use mail-order pharmacies like CVS Caremark or Postal Prescription Services (PPSRX), you often get free home delivery on top of the savings.

Industry data from UnitedHealth Group in June 2025 estimates that 90-day prescriptions are already saving consumers and employers about $600 million a year. If adoption doubled, savings could jump to over $1.9 billion in just one year. The math is clear: longer fills = lower cost per pill.

Who Qualifies for a 90-Day Fill?

You don’t need a special reason - just the right kind of medication and a little paperwork. Most insurance plans require two things:

• Your medication must be for a chronic condition - things like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, thyroid disorders, statins, antidepressants, or COPD drugs.
• You must have already taken the medication successfully for at least one cycle - meaning you’ve filled a 30-day prescription before and didn’t have issues.

It doesn’t matter if you’re on Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. Nearly all major plans - including dual-eligible special needs plans like CareAdvantage - now cover 90-day fills as a standard benefit. The only exceptions are brand-new prescriptions, controlled substances (like opioids), or medications with strict dosing needs (like some anticoagulants).

Don’t assume your drug isn’t eligible. Even if your doctor wrote a 30-day script, your pharmacy can often dispense a 90-day supply if there are enough refills left on the prescription. Just ask.

How to Get a 90-Day Prescription

Getting a 90-day fill is easier than most people think. Here’s how to do it in three steps:

1. Check your prescription. Look at the label or your pharmacy app. If it says “30 days, 3 refills,” you’re good. You don’t need a new script - just ask your pharmacy to dispense a 90-day supply now.
2. Ask your doctor. If your prescription doesn’t have enough refills, call your doctor’s office. Say: “I’d like to switch to a 90-day supply for my [medication name]. Can you write a new prescription for 90 days with three refills?” Most doctors approve this instantly. It’s routine now.
3. Choose your pickup method. You have two options:

• Retail pharmacy: Walk in and ask for a 90-day fill. Many CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid locations now offer it in-store. You pay your copay and walk out with three months of pills.
• Mail-order pharmacy: Sign up through your insurer’s mail-order partner (like CVS Caremark, OptumRx, or PPSRX). You’ll order online or by phone, and your 90-day supply arrives at your door - often with no shipping cost.

Pro tip: Mail-order services usually have the lowest prices and are ideal if you’re on a fixed income or have mobility issues. Retail is better if you want to talk to a pharmacist in person or need your meds right away.

Why More People Are Switching

It’s not just about money. People who switch to 90-day fills report fewer missed doses, less stress, and more consistency in their treatment.

One study published in PMC4106580 found that patients on 90-day supplies were significantly more likely to stick with their medication long-term. That’s huge - because poor adherence is one of the biggest reasons people end up in the hospital for preventable conditions. If you’re taking a daily pill and forget it once a month, that’s 12 missed doses a year. With a 90-day supply, you’re less likely to run out or lose track.

Plus, you save time. Eight fewer trips to the pharmacy each year. That’s over two full days of your life you won’t spend waiting in line, driving, or sitting in a waiting room. For working parents, seniors, or people with busy schedules, that’s priceless.

What to Watch Out For

There are a few things that can trip you up - but they’re easy to avoid.

• Insurance restrictions: Some plans only allow 90-day fills for certain drugs. Always confirm with your insurer or pharmacy before assuming.
• Prior authorization: Rare, but possible. If your plan says “prior auth required,” your doctor will need to submit a quick form. Most get approved within 24 hours.
• Pharmacy resistance: A few retail staff might not know how to process 90-day fills, especially if they’re used to handling acute prescriptions. If they say no, ask to speak to the pharmacist or call your insurer’s pharmacy help line. It’s your right.
• Stocking issues: Some pharmacies don’t keep large bottles of every medication on hand. If they can’t fill it immediately, order it through mail-order or ask them to transfer the prescription to a different location.

Bottom line: If your medication is for a chronic condition, and you’re paying a copay every month - you’re leaving money on the table. It’s not complicated. Just ask.

What’s Next for 90-Day Prescriptions?

The trend is only growing. In 2025, more insurers are making 90-day fills the default option for maintenance meds. Mail-order services are expanding, with new partnerships like HPSM’s deal with Postal Prescription Services. Retail pharmacies are adapting too - offering in-store 90-day fills to keep customers from switching to online options.

And the savings keep climbing. If 70% of commercially insured adults switched to 90-day fills for maintenance medications, the U.S. could save $23 billion over ten years. That’s not just a win for patients - it’s a win for the whole system.

The only real barrier? Not knowing it’s an option. Most people assume they have to stick with monthly refills. But the system is designed to reward those who ask. You don’t need a special program. You don’t need to switch insurers. You just need to speak up.