Pharmacy
The Prescription Refill Line and TRICARE Online Patient Portal are the fastest and easiest ways to refill your prescription. Use the automated system and the prescription number on the prescription label. Please allow one business day for all refills to be processed.
The Pharmacy can fill new prescriptions written by a United States licensed Primary Care Provider and may fill prescriptions from Host Nation providers that are in the TRICARE Overseas' Preferred Provider Network and are written according to U.S. laws and Army regulations.
Who can pick up medications?
To pick up medications for someone other than yourself (including dependents 12 years or older), you must have the patient’s DOD ID card. A front and back paper copy or cell phone picture is also acceptable.
MHS GENESIS Patient Portal:
MHS GENESIS Patient Portal is a secure website available 24/7 that gives you access to your health information. It can be used to communicate securely with your providers and to request prescription refills. The MHS GENESIS Patient Portal has replaced the TRICARE Online Patient Portal (TOL). Visit MHS GENSIS Patient Portal.
Emergency Contraception
Your pharmacy team supports the provision of Emergency Contraception (EC) for patients who have an urgent need for this type of medication. We offer Plan B (One-Step); it is a 1-tablet dose of hormone which is most successful in preventing pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. EC is available to all female beneficiaries of childbearing age in the Tricare Network as an over-the-counter medication, unless there are health concerns associated with providing this medication to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fill a prescription from my German doctor?
Yes, as long as:
•The doctor is a TRICARE Network Provider (PPN).
•The medication is on our formulary.
•The prescription has to be written according to *US laws and **Army regulations (see below handout, available to ***bring to your doctor during your visit)
•German prescriptions are written under different local national guidelines, but to be eligible for fill at Grafenwoehr Army Health Clinic, the prescriptions *must be written to US and Army standards, click to see
Local National Providers Written Prescription Requirements.
Can I "refill" a prescription that was last filled at a different pharmacy?
YES, now with MHS GENESIS we can fill any eligible prescriptions (with refills remaining) that you had filled at a previous MTF.
Why does it sometimes take so long to fill my prescription?
Patient safety is our number one priority and with that patient satisfaction is very important to us. We are dedicated to our patients and will fulfill all requests as they are received and in the order that they came in, some of which are more complex and require extended processing times. We also cannot control the higher-than-normal volume of requests that is received at certain times (i.e. holidays or during peak hours). There are ways to save time:
- Requesting refill through MHS GENESIS Patient Portal
- Phoning in your refill requests at least 1 business day in advance. Prescription number is on your bottle and phone number is in “Contact Us” section
- Making sure your German doctors follow all guidelines when writing prescriptions to US and Army standards (detail above)
Why is the LAST ticket pulled BEFORE physical closing time?
With any requests, it takes a certain amount of time to fulfill that request. We have to stop taking requests at our posted hours above to have adequate time to safely fill and process all previous pharmacy requests in addition to physically closing the pharmacy on time.
What is the difference between a refill, a renewal, and a new prescription?
Refill prescriptions: These are medications which you called the automated line or initiated to be filled on TRICARE online. These did not require a visit or a message to your doctor to authorize at the pharmacy. You will save time using the automated refill phone system (see detail below) for these to be filled in advance.
Renewal prescriptions: These are medications which you were previously taking which ran out of refills, requiring a new order from a provider. These are treated as new prescriptions since they must be checked for accuracy, appropriateness, and safety by the pharmacy. These you cannot call in. They must be picked up as if they were new.
New prescriptions: These are prescriptions that are written by a provider that a patient has not yet taken.
Refill prescriptions must be requested at least 24 hours (1 business day) prior to pick up.
All refill requests are to be ready next business day after 1300
Requests may be submitted through the automated refill phone system (number on your prescription bottle)
Medications not picked up within 10 business days or 2 weeks will be returned to stock.
How is my prescription not a refill if I have been taking this for years?
Refills are authorized by your doctor and only when they write each of your prescription. Your refills are listed on your prescription label.
When your doctor re-orders a medicine that you’ve had before, the
prescription is now considered a New Prescription, even though the medication is not. This is called a prescription renewal. New prescriptions, including renewals, require more extensive pharmacist review for accuracy and safety. To minimize pharmacy, wait times, please pull a "new prescription" ticket for renewals.
What if I need a non-formulary or non-stocked medication?
All non-formulary requests must be completed by your doctor. Please discuss with them the options during your appointment visit. Click the TRICARE Formulary Search Tool to see if your medication requires additional steps and paperwork from your doctor, such as a Prior Authorization or a Medical Necessity form.
NOTE: Non-formulary or non-stocked items, especially those needing to be shipped from the USA, may take 4 – 8 weeks or longer to arrive after the request is authorized.
Why is my medication out of stock?
Due to ongoing labor shortages in the United States, drug procurement channels are now compromised. Geographically, Germany is difficult to obtain medications due to customs requirements and laws within the country. The pharmacy works diligently to project shortages, but also including all other medications it will still take several weeks to arrive through distributors from the USA.
Do you have any Over the Counter (OTC) medications not requiring a prescription?
Yes, we have a limited list of available OTC (inquire at the pharmacy window). Available for common temporary conditions such as cold, cough, allergy, stomach symptoms, mild-moderate pain relief, skin symptoms (dry, itching), common fungal conditions, nicotine replacement need (gum and patches), dry eyes, etc.
Limit is (3) OTC products within a 30-day period and at the pharmacy’s discretion concerning patient safety.
Important: Medication Disposal Information
The Grafenwoehr Health Clinic Pharmacy does not accept returns of medications that have already been dispensed to patients. To properly dispose of medications in Germany, please follow one of the options below:
On-Post Disposal: For patients living on-post, medication disposal is available at the Self-Help Store located in Building 394. You can contact them at: Primary: 09641-70-526-4389 Secondary: DSN 526-4389
Off-Post Disposal: For patients living off-post, please dispose of medications in your regular household trash (refuse). Do not dispose of medications in the water supply, including flushing medications down the toilet or disposing of medications in sink drains. By following these guidelines, you can help protect the environment and ensure safe disposal of your medications.
