Moving This Winter? A Pharmacy Checklist for Your New Zip Code
· 3 min read
Moving to a new zip code? Find a nearby pharmacy, bring an up-to-date med list, ask how to move prescriptions, and update your address.
Moving in winter has a special charm. You get to carry boxes across ice, discover which box holds the coats (the last one, always), and learn that the new place's thermostat has a personality. Somewhere in all that, your prescriptions need a new home too.
This checklist covers the pharmacy side of a move. It's general information, not medical advice. Your prescriber and pharmacist are the best people to ask about your own prescriptions.
Step 1: Find a nearby pharmacy
Before the moving truck shows up, look at pharmacies near your new address. A few things worth checking:
- How close it is to home or work
- The pharmacy counter's hours, including weekends
- Whether it closes for a break during the day
If you plan to use a membership or any other way of paying, check that the pharmacy participates before your first fill there. If you're a member of The Drug Club, see how to confirm your pharmacy participates.
Step 2: Bring an up-to-date medication list
A new pharmacy doesn't know you yet. A current list helps them, and you, get started on the right foot. Include each medication's name, strength, prescriber, and your old pharmacy's name and phone number. Our guide to keeping a one-page medication list has a format you can copy, and a prescription history printout from your old pharmacy can help fill in the gaps.
Pack the list somewhere you'll find it. Not in the box marked "misc."
Step 3: Ask how to move your existing prescriptions
Every situation is a little different, so ask the people involved:
- Ask your new pharmacy: "I just moved here. What do you need from me to fill my existing prescriptions?"
- Ask your prescriber: "I've moved. Can you send future prescriptions to my new pharmacy?"
If you're also changing doctors because of the move, see changing doctors without a gap in prescriptions. Your new pharmacy and your prescriber are the right people to ask about moving your existing prescriptions.
Here's a SAMPLE moving checklist:
| SAMPLE (example only) | Task | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Week before (example) | Pick a pharmacy near the new place | Yes |
| Week before (example) | Update and print my med list | Yes |
| Moving week (example) | Call the new pharmacy with my list | Not yet |
| Moving week (example) | Ask my prescriber to use the new pharmacy | Not yet |
| After the move (example) | Update my address on my accounts | Not yet |
Everything in this SAMPLE table is made up. Adjust it to your own move.
Step 4: Update your address
Once you've landed, update your address anywhere your prescriptions live: your pharmacy, your prescriber's office, and any pharmacy app you use. If you're a member of The Drug Club, update the address in your account, or contact support@thedrugclub.com or (424) 375-7114 if you need help with it.
Where The Drug Club fits
The Drug Club is a prescription membership, not insurance and not a discount card. You pay one monthly membership fee and get member pricing on eligible medications at participating pharmacies.
- $0 with membership on eligible medications. Not every medication is eligible, so search yours on the Medications page.
- 800+ medications on the formulary.
- 70,000+ pharmacies participate. Confirm your new pharmacy participates before your first fill there.
- Single and Family membership prices are on the pricing page, and plan details are on the membership page.
FAQ
Should I find a new pharmacy before I move?
It helps. Looking ahead lets you check hours and confirm the pharmacy participates before you need a fill.
Who do I ask about moving my prescriptions?
Your new pharmacy and your prescriber. They can tell you what they need and how it works for your prescriptions.
Is The Drug Club insurance?
No. The Drug Club is a prescription membership, not insurance and not a discount card.
The short version
Find a nearby pharmacy and confirm it participates, bring an up-to-date med list, ask your new pharmacy and your prescriber how to handle your existing prescriptions, and update your address. For anything about the medications themselves, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist. The coats are in the last box. They always are.
Questions: support@thedrugclub.com or (424) 375-7114.
The Drug Club is a prescription membership, not insurance and not a discount card. Eligible medications and participating pharmacies apply. This article is general information, not medical, financial, or insurance advice.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medications and health. The Drug Club is a prescription membership. It is not insurance and not a discount card. Questions? Email support@thedrugclub.com or call (424) 375-7114.