Explained: Refill & Track Prescriptions With The VA

Did you know that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a prescription refill and tracking service?

The VA Prescription Refill and Tracking tool lets you refill your VA prescriptions, track deliveries, and build lists to help you keep medications organized properly to best manage your health conditions. This tool is provided for eligible veterans and you can sign up with the VA MyHealthEVet portal.

Who Is Eligible For The VA Prescription Refill And Tracking Tool

Veterans are eligible to sign up for and use this tool if they meet all the following conditions:

  • The veteran is enrolled in VA health care, and
  • The veteran is registered as a patient in a VA health facility, and
  • The veteran has a refillable prescription from a VA doctor that is filled at a VA pharmacy and processed by the VA Mail Order Pharmacy.

In order to use the VA Prescription Refill and Tracking Tool, eligible veterans must have or sign up for one of the following online accounts:

  • A verified me account created at VA.gov
  • An Advanced or Premium My HealtheVet account
  • A Premium DS Logon account (used for eBenefits and milConnect)

What You Can Use The Prescription Tool To Do

Qualifying veterans can fill and track most medications, but there are certain exceptions which we will describe below. In most cases, veterans who sign up can use the service to:

  • VA medicines refilled or renewed
  • Wound care supplies
  • Diabetic care supplies
  • Other items available via the VA Mail Order Pharmacy

There are certain exceptions. The VA official site says that in certain cases a VA health care team may decide that certain medications cannot or should not be shipped. This may be handled on a case-by case basis. “In these cases,” the VA official site says, “…you’ll need to pick up your prescription from the VA health facility where you get care.”

Furthermore, some pain medicines (especially narcotics and other controlled substances) may not be refillable except via a new prescription from the VA provider every time you need to refill. This too may be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Other uses for the VA Prescription Refill And Tracking Tool include:

  • Refill your VA prescriptions online
  • Review past and current VA prescriptions
  • Track delivery prescriptions mailed within the past 30 days
  • Get email notifications on when to expect prescription delivery
  • Create lists to keep track of all your medicines, not just VA prescribed medications

What To Do If Your Prescription Does Not Arrive

The VA advises patients to begin by contacting the customer support division of the delivery service responsible for delivering the medication. That contact information and/or phone number is on delivery company’s official website.

If your delivery issue is something the company cannot assist you with, it may be necessary to contact the VA facility where the prescription was obtained-the phone number for the VA Pharmacy is located on the prescription label.

Other Important Information You Should Know

The VA will not mail prescriptions to overseas locations. Prescription mailings are limited to the United States and its territories

Prescriptions mailed to qualifying veterans by the VA “usually arrive” within 3 to 5 days according to VA.gov. For individual shipments you can review them on the website of the delivery service shown in the online Rx Tracker.

You should avoid gaps in your prescriptions by requesting all refills at least 10 days prior to running out of the current prescription.

What To Do If You Mistakenly Receive Another Person’s Prescription Package

Mix-ups sometimes happen and you may get a delivery that was not intended for you. If you receive someone else’s prescription order, the VA requests that you DO NOT attempt to open the contents of any package not addressed to you.

“If the mailing label is for someone else, return the package to the delivery service. If it has your name on the package but it is not your prescription, contact the VA facility that issued the prescription,” according to the VA official site.

What To Do If You Need To Stop A Delivery

In cases where you need to stop a prescription from being sent, contact the VA facility that issued the prescription as soon as possible. This is especially important for those who may need to travel for long periods, those who may be changing addresses, etc.

What To Do If You No Longer Need The Prescription

If you have a condition that has improved and no longer requires the prescriptions you have been taking delivery of, contact the VA as soon as possible to make arrangements. It is very important to know that the VA Pharmacy Service doesn’t accept returned medications-including opioids and other controlled substances.

To safely dispose of medication you no longer need, follow the following steps:

  • Dispose of all prescriptions in their original container. If there is a situation where these substances accidentally get ingested by someone else, this can assist in a poison control situation.
  • Before disposing of your medication, be sure to completely obscure your name and prescription number on the label with a permanent marker or by other means to protect your private information.
  • The VA official site advises patients to add water pills to dissolve them. You can also mix pills or liquid drugs with inedible material (potting soil, kitty litter, etc.)
  • Place the medicine bottle in a container you cannot see through. Tape it securely shut. Place this container in the ordinary trash bin and not in a recycle bin.

In most cases, do not flush unneeded medications down the toilet or pour them down the drain.

Why? The VA advises, “Drugs flushed down drains can harm the water supply that we drink, and wildlife. Dispose of drugs the right way to prevent someone taking them by accident, or through an illegal sale. Protect children and pets from harm caused by accidental ingestion.”

That being said, there is advice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which states that flushing certain “potent pain medications: may be necessary. The FDA official site states that “a small number of medicines “ may be especially harmful “and, in some cases, fatal with just one dose if they are used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed.”

You may feel uncomfortable with, or have an objection to, flushing medications. In such cases you can search in your local community for prescription “take-back” programs. According to Pharmacist.com, “city or county governments’ household trash and recycling services and community pharmacists are good sources of information for locating medicine take-back programs.”

You can also find links to national prescription drug take-back events from the official site of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Military Discounts: Automotive Discounts

2020 veterans and military discount list of hundreds of companies that offer military discounts to service members, retired military, veterans, spouses and their families.

Advance Auto Parts
10% off regularly priced items for in-store purchases to customers who serve or have served our country’s Armed Services with ID.

Anthem Wheels
15% discount on any set of regularly priced Anthem wheels including any applicable custom drill fees for US Armed Forces: Active Duty, Veterans, Disabled, and Retired.

Audi of America
Get special offers and benefits exclusively available to overseas US military personnel via Audi’s Military Sales Program. Visit their website for more info.

Auto Accessories Garage
Men and women of our armed forces get discounts of 5% – 20% not offered to the public.

BMW
Military members and their families living in the U.S. may be eligible for a special rate for an auto lease or purchase. Contact the dealer for more details.

CARiD
Active Duty members, Reserves, Veterans and Retirees – including their immediate families – of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and National Guard receive a discount.

CarParts.com
All active duty military members, reserves, retirees and veterans of the United States Armed Forces are eligible for a 5% discount on all products when an active duty military address or copy of a DD Form 214 is provided.

Chrysler
Get exclusive rebates and affordable financing deals on Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles through the Chrysler Military Program. Applies to Active Duty, Active Reserved, Retired Military, Retired Military Reserve and Veterans.

Ford
Active Military Personnel & Reservists Serving on Active Duty, Veterans separated within the last 180 days, Retirees, Spouse/Surviving spouse, or other household members are eligible for a $500.00 Bonus Cash Offer good toward the purchase or lease of an eligible new recent model year Ford vehicle.

General Motors
Active Duty members, reserves and retirees, including their spouses, of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars when purchasing eligible Chevrolet, Buick or GMC vehicles through the GM Military Discount program. There are also regional and dealership incentives available.

Goodyear Tire
Military members and first responders receive 10% off through ID.me.

Harley-Davidson
Harley Davidson has special stateside military financing including no down payment, reduced rates and flexible term options designed specifically for active duty military personnel.

Hyundai
Active duty, veteran or retired members of the US military may get a $500 price slash on any new Hyundai vehicle. Ask your local dealership for more info.

Indian Larry
15% discount with verification of military service.

Infiniti
Receive exclusive new vehicle pricing with their Vehicle Purchase Program. Special pricing varies by month. Must be Active Duty or Reserve and their dependents (spouse or domestic partner) US Military includes: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard.

Jiffy Lube
Most Jiffy Lube locations offer up to 15% off to military members. Because Jiffy Lube locations are independently owned, some may opt not to participate in the discount program.

KC Hilites
Military, Government, and Law Enforcement personnel get up to 20 percent off.

Kia Motors America
Special offers for active members of the United States Armed Forces, reserves, and the immediate family of participant (spouse or child).

Land Rover
The Military Sales Specialists can help you with all aspects of military sales, your choice of vehicle and available discounts.

Lincoln Motor Company
Active Military Personnel & Reservists Serving on Active Duty, Veterans separated within the last 180 days, Retirees, Spouse/Surviving spouse, or other household members are eligible for a $750.00 Bonus Cash Offer good toward the purchase or lease of an eligible new recent model year Lincoln vehicle.

Meineke
Meineke franchises offer discounts to military members on select services. Discounts and qualified services vary by location.

Morris 4×4 Center
5% off + no min and free shipping for military personnel, police officers, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.

Nissan
Receive exclusive new vehicle pricing with their Vehicle Purchase Program. Special pricing varies by month. Inlcudes Active and Reserve US Military, Retired Military, Veterans discharged from active service within the past year, and their spouses and partners.

O’Reilly Auto Parts
All O’Reilly Auto Parts stores provide a discount, usually 5% to 10%, to active and retired military personnel with proper ID. Offer is not valid online.

Pep Boys Military Discount
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday active-duty and retired military customers can receive a 10% discount at local stores. Present a valid military ID to save.

Scion
If you are a member of the U.S. Military with current active duty status or an inactive reservist, you may qualify for a $500 rebate towards the purchase or lease of a new Scion when financed or leased through a participating Scion dealer and Toyota Financial Services (TFS).

Subaru
Discount to active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard, and Coast Guard, as well as veterans and retirees within 12 months of your date of separation.

Take 5 Oil Change
Military active duty, reservists, and veterans are eligible to receive 25% off on any oil change at all Take 5 locations. Please show proof of service or a valid military ID.

TBC Retail Group (Tire & Auto Centers)
Spend 10% less on tire and auto services at any of 1,300 Tire Kingdom, NTB-National Tire and Battery, Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centers and Big O Tires centers nationwide. Present a valid US military ID to enjoy these discounts. Participation varies by location.

Throtl
Current & former U.S. military, military spouses and dependents and first responders (law enforcement, fire, and EMS) can save up to 10%.

TireBuyer.com
7% off tires for active duty military, veterans, and their family members. Free same day shipping available.

Toyota
Receive a $500 rebate on any new Toyota vehicle. Available to U.S. active duty and reserves, household members of eligible military personnel (including Gold Star families), retirees (within 1 year of retirement) and military veterans (within 1 year of discharge)

Volkswagen
As subscribers to the Military Assistance Corporation (MAC), Volkswagon helps simplify the payment process for military personnel who finance the purchase of a new vehicle with Volkswagen Credit. Applies to military personnel and full-time Federal Civil Service employees.

Volvo
Volvo’s military savings promotions change often, see site for latest offer.

7 Date Night Deals for Military Couples

Military couples spend a lot of time apart. So one of the things we treasure is a good old-fashioned date night. But couples often claim they don’t indulge in date nights as much as they’d like to because one night of fun isn’t worth a month of figuring out how to pay off the credit card bill.

Fortunately, date nights don’t have to be super expensive. Here are 7 date night deals for military couples:

1. Plan dinner and a movie.

You can’t go wrong with the classic dinner and a movie date night. Make sure to ask for military discounts at the restaurant you choose. Some restaurants, like the Melting Pot, offer discounts for military members, and you might discover your favorite local joint honors military families as well.

Then go see that new romantic comedy that just hit theaters. If it’s not playing on base, remember many movie theaters offer military discounts, including Cinemark, and Regal theaters.

2. Get a babysitter.

We love our kids, but date night just isn’t the same if they’re tagging along. What’s the best way to find a free babysitter? Swap sitting services with friends. One night you host all the kids to give your friends some time alone, another night it’s your turn to hit the town. The kids end up with a play date, and you don’t have to pay a dime for child care.

3. Take a class.

Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Home Depot offers free workshops on everything from installing a toilet to lawn maintenance. (And while you’re there, use your 10% military discount to pick up the necessary items to practice what you learned.)

Want to get creative? Michaels offers classes as well, and you can use their military discount to stock up on supplies.

Are you into gadgets? Apple stores offer free workshops to teach you how to use those new devices you bought through their military discount program.

4. Hang out on base.

Your local military installation provides lots of free or discounted activities that are perfect for an inexpensive date night. What exactly can you and your honey do on base? (Programs vary by location so check with your local installation to find out what’s available.)

Spend time with your spouse by staying fit. Find out the class schedule at your installation’s free fitness center. In addition to cardiovascular and weight-lifting equipment, most fitness centers on base have free group classes like spinning and zumba.

We all love the “dinner and a movie” date, so after dinner, head over to the base movie theater that offers reduced prices on movies. You can find movie schedules and other special events on your installation’s website.

Bowling is another fun date night. Bowl for two, double date with friends, or sign up for a tournament. Some locations also have arcades and snack bar facilities as well as coaches for instruction.

Can’t find a night to get away, but you’re both free on a Sunday afternoon? Have a golf date. Golf courses on base offer open course play, tournaments, driving ranges, pro shops, cart rentals, snack bars and instructors for classes and private lessons.

Want to plan a vacation or find out about local events like concerts and athletic games (for future date nights)? Head over to the Information, Ticket and Tours or ITT office. (Depending on the service, it may be called the Leisure Travel Office or Information, Ticket and Recreation.) They also provide discounted tickets to parks, museums and vacation hot spots like Disney World.

Shopping. That may not be the most exciting and romantic date night, but sometimes shopping without the kids is a treat worthy of the effort to book a babysitter. Go to the commissary (without using one of those rocket-inspired kid carts) and find some deals at the NEX/AAFES/MCX.

5. See a play.

Through the Blue Star Theatres program, military personnel and their families (and veterans) can get discounted or complimentary admission to over 170 theatres, including Arena Stage in Washington, DC, San Diego Repertory Theatre in San Diego, California and Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, VA.

6. In-house date.

Can’t get a sitter? No good movies playing? Too tired to go out? No problem. Create the cheapest date of all: stay home. But don’t put the kids to bed and turn on the tv like you always do. Mix it up. (Although if catching up on the shows you keep hearing about on Netflix is something you never have time for and sounds like the perfect date night to you, go for it.)

Play board games. Do a puzzle. Have a photo shoot. Look through your wedding pictures. Make a scrapbook. Buy a few bottles of wine and a variety of cheeses beforehand and create your own wine-tasting. Take an online cooking class.

Date night doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your house. It means spending time together. So get creative and come up with a list of ideas for dates you can enjoy at home.

7. Relax.

Massages are a great way for busy military couples to forget about deployments and PCS moves and simply relax. Take advantage of Massage Envy’s military discount program, and book an appointment for a couples massage.