15-Month Prescriptions

15-Month Prescriptions Win Approval in Springfield

By unanimous votes in both houses, the Illinois General Assembly approved and forwarded to Gov. Rauner, legislation to extend the time a patient can refill a prescription for a non-controlled substance from 12 months to 15 months.

Originating with a proposal from our DuPage County Medical Society, the measure is intended to address the gap that can occur when patients who see their physician annually face the expiration of prescriptions for maintenance medications prior to their next yearly appointment. The change can assure availability of prescription drugs during the interval without extra calls to the office.

The DCMS resolution was adopted as ISMS policy in 2017 and led to the push for the bill in this Spring’s just-completed legislative session.