Picking Up A Prescription For Someone

5 common prescription medications
Picking Up A Prescription For Someone

To ensure that your private medical information isn’t disclosed without your knowledge or consent, the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was formed in 1996. Your right to privacy is
protected by federal law at pharmacies as well as the offices of all other healthcare providers.
But occasionally, additional parties must be included in a patient’s medical care. Think of it as being
asked to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy by a friend or member of your family. Does that
comply with HIPAA privacy laws? Everything you need to know about picking up a prescription for
someone else is covered in the below section.

Can I Pick Up A Prescription For Another Person?

You can usually pick up a prescription for a different person. When delivering a prescription to a friend
or relative, a pharmacist is permitted by HIPAA to exercise professional judgment. Typically, you don’t
need to tell the pharmacist in advance who will be picking up the prescription or provide them with their
name.
But, the pharmacist must first verify that the person picking up the prescription is involved in the
patient’s care. States have different laws, thus every drugstore may not have the same prescription refill
or pickup policy.

How Pharmacies Verify

Typically, the pharmacy staff will ask questions to you in order to confirm the patient’s personal data,
such as their address or date of birth. Knowing the name of the drug you are picking up for the other
person might be useful. This can be especially useful if the patient simply wants you to pick up some of
the medicines that are ready at the pharmacy.
There are tighter restrictions and more criteria in some states. You can be asked to present government-
issued identification (ID), such as a passport or driver’s license. There can also be age limitations. For
example, several states prohibit minors from picking up medications.

Can The Pharmacist Refuse To Fill The Prescription If It Belongs To Someone Else?

Have you tried to pick up a prescription for someone else but were refused access? It happens. Despite
how annoying this is, remember that the pharmacist is attempting to preserve the patient’s privacy.
If this occurs to you, ask specifics about the reason you are being turned away. Maybe it is because you
weren’t able to verify enough of the person’s data. Or perhaps you failed to bring identification when
required by state law. You can complete the conditions to pick up the prescription by being aware of this
information.