Transferring Outside Prescriptions for
Oral Contraceptives to McKinley Pharmacy
McKinley Health Center honors all valid prescriptions from providers outside our system for oral contraceptives, NuvaRing® and OrthoEvra® Patches.
- If you have a handwritten prescription for a contraceptive and would like that prescription filled at McKinley, you may bring it directly to the McKinley Pharmacy. If your provider will write the prescription for multiple cycles - for example, one year – our pharmacy may dispense several cycles of your medication at one time. However, our pharmacy will not dispense more than 3 cycles of a discounted medication at any one time and the amount dispensed shall not exceed the number of months covered by your McKinley Health Service Fee. If you get a new prescription or one refilled near the end of the semester, you will only receive enough to finish out the semester. If you are purchasing cycles at the regular price (not discounted because of your McKinley coverage) this limit may be waived.
- If your prescription is already being filled at a pharmacy other than McKinley, but you wish to transfer your prescription, access the McKinley Pharmacy web page and complete the Prescription Transfer form. You may also go to the McKinley Pharmacy to arrange for the transfer. Bring with you the current label from your pill pack or contraceptive package or the name and phone number of your outside pharmacy. Pharmacy-to- pharmacy transfers may take up to two business days; so plan ahead!
- If you've seen a provider outside McKinley within the last year, but don't have a handwritten prescription and have not had your prescription filled at another pharmacy, you can still arrange to have your prescription sent directly to McKinley. Your provider can fax a copy of your prescription directly to McKinley at (217) 244-6309. Please have your provider include your student ID number and date of birth.
McKinley Pharmacy prefers to have prescriptions faxed in, but if your provider is unable to do so, the prescription may be phoned in. Prescriptions that are faxed to McKinley should be ready for pick-up in 24 hours. You may want to call our pharmacy at (217) 333-2710 before coming back to pick up your prescription, to make sure it is ready for you. Birth control pills are available in a variety of brand and generic names. We may not carry the specific brand name, but we may have the same prescription listed under a different name. If we do not have your particular pill, you may contact your provider and ask if they would consider changing your prescription to one of those listed on our Contraceptive Options web page.
Call Women's Health at 333-2700 and select Women’s Health for instructions; Depo-Provera® is not given by outside prescription or orders.
- When it is time for your annual exam, feel free to make your appointment with your private health care provider and bring your prescription directly to the Pharmacy, or make an appointment for an annual exam with a provider at McKinley.
McKinley Pharmacy strives to keep costs as low as possible; however, prices are subject to change based on market. We cannot guarantee that some brands will not incur a price adjustment during the school year. If that should happen, we will communicate this change as soon as possible.
Please visit McKinley’s Pharmacy page and select the Contraceptive Options link to view current pricing and medications available. The web address is: www.mckinley.illinois.edu/Units/Pharmacy/contraceptive_options.htm.