Healthcare provider using telehealth to help patient get birth control refill without doctor visit in person

How to Get Birth Control Refill Without Doctor Visit in Person

Medically reviewed on March 7, 2024 by Jillian Foglesong Stabile, MD, FAAFP. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.

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There are many reasons why you might be curious about how to get a birth control refill without doctor visits in person. Perhaps you’ve just moved to a new city, your schedule doesn’t allow for time-consuming visits, or you’re looking for a more affordable way to refill your everyday prescriptions.

No matter why you’re looking for an efficient, virtual option for birth control refill services, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’re breaking down three virtual care options for patients, mail-order pharmacy options, and considerations for patients looking to get birth control online.

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3 Telehealth Options for Birth Control Refills

What options are available for patients who need a birth control prescription refill without an in-person visit? You have three choices:

1. Your Primary Care or OB/GYN Provider

Depending on the size of their practice, their patient population, and their approach to care, your primary care provider or OB/GYN may offer telehealth appointments for both consultations and refills. This option has certain benefits, such as:

  • You’ll work with a provider you already know – If you make a telehealth appointment with a provider you already know, this provider will already be familiar with your personal health information and lifestyle.
  • Your visit will likely be covered by insurance – When you first visited your primary care provider or OB/GYN, you likely confirmed that they accepted your insurance. So, it’s possible you won’t incur unexpected costs for your telehealth visit.

2. An Urgent Care Clinic

If you’ve just moved to a new city, your prescription is running out soon, or your availability is limited, you may be able to get a refill by using an urgent care clinic’s telehealth services. To find an urgent care clinic that offers virtual visits and birth control refills, you may need to:

  • Call individual offices – Reach out to offices in your region to ask about their telehealth options and confirm that they’ll provide a birth control refill—not all clinics will offer both (many urgent care facilities will not refill chronic medications).
  • Reach out to your insurance company – If you’re not sure where to start your urgent care clinic search, reach out to your insurance company and ask for a list of clinics in your network.

Speaking of insurance, cost is a major consideration for patients looking for urgent care options. Not all urgent care centers accept insurance, so be prepared for potential unexpected costs associated with your visit if you choose this route.

3. A Telehealth Platform Like Everlywell

Offering the perks of both urgent care and your primary care or OB/GYN provider, a virtual care platform like Everlywell can connect you to efficient, affordable care from the comfort of your home.

Everlywell VCV offering

Getting a birth control refill from Everlywell is simple:

  1. Schedule a virtual care visit with us using our simple, fast online platform. We even offer same-day and next-day appointments—because you deserve care on your schedule.
  2. Meet with one of our licensed providers. Discuss your birth control needs and your current medications, and talk through your options.
  3. Send your prescription to a local or mail order pharmacy (more on the latter option below).

Mail Order Pharmacies: A Convenient, Discreet Option for Birth Control Prescriptions

If you’re looking to streamline your birth control prescription management, consider using a mail order pharmacy—a service that will deliver your prescriptions right to your door.

There are numerous perks of using a mail order pharmacy:

  • Confidentiality – You deserve the utmost privacy regarding your medications and care. With a mail order pharmacy, your prescriptions are mailed discreetly—there’s no need to confirm your medications verbally with an in-person pharmacist.
  • Convenience – Simply put, picking up prescriptions in person is time-consuming. With mail order pharmacies, you don’t have to remember to pick up your medications before you run out.
  • Cost – Some mail order pharmacies offer lower prices than traditional pharmacies—talk to your insurance company and your healthcare provider about finding a low-cost mail order pharmacy option.

Considerations for Getting Birth Control Pills Online

If you’re considering taking the telehealth route to refill your birth control prescription, keep a few things in mind to protect your overall health and wellness:

  • Get in-person checkups as needed – Don't underestimate the importance of yearly exams from an OB/GYN and overall physical exams from a primary care provider. Yearly physical exams can help make sure you’re staying on top of preventative health maintenance such as early detection of precancerous changes in the cervix or breast cancer.
  • Talk about drug interactions and risks – A birth control pill isn’t right for everyone, and may pose higher risks for people with certain health conditions (like cardiovascular risk factors). [1] To avoid potential birth control side effects, talk to your virtual providers about all the prescription and over-the-counter drugs you’re taking, and offer as much detail as possible about your health history.
  • Regularly discuss birth control options with your providers – As your lifestyle, health goals, and relationships change, you may discover that certain birth control methods don’t meet your needs. Feel free to regularly check in with your healthcare provider to ensure you’re using a contraceptive method that ticks all of your boxes.

Discover Exceptional Telehealth Care with Everlywell

Telehealth expansion has made it easier than ever for patients to access high-quality care from licensed providers—even for a prescription refill of commonly prescribed medications like birth control pills. Even if you’re exploring how to get antibiotics quickly, virtual care can help.

If you’re looking for a virtual care partner who can connect you with the knowledge you need to make empowered choices about your health, turn to Everlywell. We take pride in our approach to care: our providers are committed to helping you forge a healthcare path on your schedule, your budget, and your terms.

Ready to discover convenient, affordable, and high-quality care? Make an online women’s health appointment with one of our providers now.

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References

  1. Fabunmi OA, Dludla PV, Nkambule BB. Investigating cardiovascular risk in premenopausal women on oral contraceptives: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023;10. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2023.1127104
Jillian Foglesong Stabile, MD, FAAFP is a board-certified Family Physician. Since completing her residency training in 2010, she’s been practicing full-scope family medicine in a rural setting. Dr. Foglesong Stabile’s practice includes caring for patients of all ages for preventative care as well as chronic disease management. She also provides prenatal care and delivers babies. Dr. Foglesong Stabile completed a teaching fellowship in 2020 and teaches the family medicine clerkship for one of her local medical schools. Dr. Foglesong Stabile’s favorite thing about family medicine is the variety of patients she sees in her clinical practice.
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