Out of insulin? Emergency refills and Kevin’s Law
If you are running out of insulin and cannot reach your prescriber, many states let a pharmacist give you an emergency supply, and some have laws written specifically for insulin. Here is what those laws allow, the urgent-need programs in Minnesota and Colorado, what to do right now, and the warning signs that mean you need emergency care.
Updated October 4, 2026
What happened
- 2014Kevin Houdeshell of Ohio died after he could not get his insulin refilled over the New Year holiday while his prescriber could not be reached.
- 2015Ohio passed Kevin’s Law, letting pharmacists dispense up to a 30-day emergency supply of non-controlled medicines; other states followed.
- 2020 to 2021Minnesota’s Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act and Colorado’s insulin law created urgent-need programs for people with less than a week of insulin.
- 2024Florida expanded emergency insulin refills to up to three nonconsecutive times a calendar year.
Why insulin has its own rules
A general emergency refill rule often allows only a 72-hour supply, but insulin is sold in vials and boxes of pens that hold far more than three days. So some states let pharmacists dispense the smallest package, and others passed laws written specifically for insulin, usually allowing up to a 30-day supply when your prescription has run out and the prescriber cannot be reached.
States with insulin-specific emergency rules verified against their laws include Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Texas, and Virginia’s general rule names insulin. Package-size rules in states such as Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky and Ohio also let a pharmacist dispense a full insulin package.
Urgent-need programs in Minnesota and Colorado
Minnesota and Colorado go further than an emergency refill. Residents who have less than a week of insulin can get an urgent 30-day supply at a pharmacy for a capped copay, generally once in 12 months, with eligibility rules that the pharmacy can explain.
If you are running out right now
Call your usual pharmacy first: it has your prescription on record, which most emergency rules require. Ask whether it can give you an emergency supply under your state’s rules, and if not, try your prescriber’s after-hours line or a telehealth service for a new prescription. Insulin makers also run savings programs, and some lower-priced unbranded insulins are available, which matters if you have to pay cash.
Older human insulins, Regular and NPH, are sold without a prescription in most states. They act differently from modern insulins, so use them only as a short-term bridge with advice from a clinician or pharmacist on dosing, and check your blood sugar often.
Warning signs that need emergency care
Going without insulin can cause diabetic ketoacidosis, which is life-threatening. Go to an emergency department or call 911 for nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, fast or deep breathing, a fruity smell on the breath, extreme thirst, confusion or drowsiness, especially with high blood sugar readings or ketones. Do not wait for a refill if these appear.
Avoiding a gap next time
Ask your prescriber for refills that last until your next appointment, use your pharmacy’s refill reminders, and consider 90-day supplies if your plan allows them. Keep track of the expiry date on your prescription, since an expired prescription is the most common reason a pharmacy cannot simply refill it.
What to do
- Call your usual pharmacy and ask about an emergency insulin supply under your state’s rules.
- In Minnesota or Colorado, ask about the urgent-need insulin program if you have less than a week left.
- Try your prescriber’s after-hours line or a telehealth service for a new prescription.
- Seek emergency care straight away for signs of diabetic ketoacidosis.
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Related
Sources
- Ohio Rev. Code 4729.281 (Kevin’s Law)
- Minn. Stat. 151.74, Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act
- C.R.S. 12-280-140, emergency prescription insulin supply (Colorado)
- Fla. Stat. 465.0275, emergency prescription refill
Written by the Script Unlock editorial team from the reporting and official sources above, as of October 4, 2026. Policies and prices in this area change often; check the linked sources for the latest.
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.