Last Updated: September 2026
Best Online Doctors for Prescription Refills in San Francisco (2026)
Quick Answer
A San Francisco resident down to the last few pills of a maintenance medication has several same-day routes, and some cost nothing. If a UCSF Health or Kaiser San Francisco clinician wrote the prescription, a refill request through MyChart or kp.org is free. If the prescriber cannot be reached tonight, the pharmacist at the 24-hour Walgreens at 498 Castro Street can dispense an emergency supply of a non-controlled maintenance medication under California Business and Professions Code 4064. Among online doctors, Momentary ($19.99 a month, California residents, a licensed California physician by message any hour) is the best value for more than one refill a year; Optum Perks Online Care ($29) and Sesame Care (from $34) are the cheapest single visits.
Momentary is our own product. In this San Francisco edition the free portal request and the pharmacist route come ahead of it wherever they apply.
Top Picks
| Category | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Best Membership for Repeat Refills | Momentary |
| Best $0 Route if an SF System Has Your Chart | UCSF MyChart or Kaiser kp.org |
| Best Free Overnight Option in San Francisco | Pharmacist emergency refill at Walgreens Castro |
| Lowest One-Time Cash Price, Any Hour | Optum Perks Online Care |
| Best Video Visit Where You Pick the Clinician | Sesame Care |
| Best Through an SF Employer Plan or Medi-Cal | Teladoc or PlushCare |
Comparison Table
| Service | Cash Price | Insurance | What It Refills | How Fast | San Francisco Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Momentary | $19.99/mo; nothing per visit | Not billed | Non-controlled; labs ordered first when needed | Physician usually within minutes, any hour | All CA residents incl. SF; iOS; may be SF MRA-eligible |
| UCSF MyChart | $0 refill request | Never billed | UCSF-prescribed meds; seen within 12 months | Up to 3 business days | Advice messages may bill as an e-visit |
| Kaiser SF (kp.org) | $0 request; drug copay | Members only | Kaiser-prescribed meds | E-visit ~2 hrs; video 24/7 | Pharmacy at 2238 Geary Blvd; no urgent care at Mission Bay |
| Pharmacist (BPC 4064) | $0 fee; drug at your price | Plan may not cover the fill | Non-controlled maintenance meds on file | While you wait | Walgreens 498 Castro St, 24 hrs (closed 1:30-2 am) |
| Optum Perks Online Care | $29 per request | Select plans | Existing non-controlled Rx | ~15 min, 24/7 | Any SF pharmacy |
| Sesame Care | From $34; $29 with Costco | Not accepted | Non-controlled, clinician's call | Same-day video | Statewide marketplace |
| Doctronic | $39 or copay; AI free | Accepted | Non-controlled; no ADHD meds | Under 30 min typical | "$0 refill" program is Utah-only |
| Teladoc / PlushCare | $89 / $129 + $19.99/mo | Broad; Teladoc in some Medi-Cal plans | Non-controlled | Under an hour, 24/7 (Teladoc) | Common SF employer benefit |
Prices verified September 2026. The medication is a separate cost at every option.
Why People Search for Online Prescription Refills in San Francisco
Strong health systems, long waits inside them. UCSF, Kaiser, and the public SF Health Network cover much of the city, and each portal processes routine refills for free. The trouble starts when the label reads zero refills and the prescriber wants a visit first: UCSF approves refills only for patients seen within 12 months, and the DMHC's 10-business-day standard for a non-urgent primary care appointment binds the plan, not your doctor's calendar.
Cash medicine costs more here. A cash office visit in SF commonly runs $200 to $400, and SF direct primary care practices typically charge more than the statewide average of about $107 a month, so a $29 to $49 online visit or a $19.99 membership is a different order of magnitude.
Local money can pay for it, and state law can bridge it. Under the Health Care Security Ordinance, SF employers with 20 or more workers (50 for nonprofits) must spend a set amount on health care per hour worked in the city; when no coverage is offered, that money often lands in an SF Medical Reimbursement Account, which lists telehealth consultations as eligible. Statewide, AB 744 puts telehealth on par with in-person care, Medi-Cal covers it, and BPC 4064 lets a pharmacist dispense an emergency supply when the prescriber is unreachable. None of this reaches controlled substances.
How We Ranked This List
We compared the cost of one refill and of a year of refills, whether insurance, Medi-Cal, or an SF MRA can pay, how many refills the service permits, whether the clinician can order labs, and whether a free route makes paying unnecessary. Momentary is our own product. It ranks first among paid online doctors because a $19.99 month covers the refill, the lab order, and the follow-up question that per-visit services bill separately; a UCSF or Kaiser patient should still use the free portal first, and Optum Perks Online Care ($29) is cheaper for exactly one refill.
Ranked Recommendations
1. Momentary — one California physician for the refill, the lab, and the next question, $19.99 a month
Why it's included: Momentary is a virtual primary care membership for California residents, San Franciscans included. You message a licensed California physician from the iOS app at any hour; an AI assistant replies right away and keeps your history, and the physician prescribes non-controlled medications and refills, orders labs, and refers you out, usually within minutes. For refills the point is continuity: the same physician renews the levothyroxine in September and orders the lab a statin needs without a second billed visit.
Best for: SF residents on daily medications who expect refills, dose changes, or lab checks more than once a year.
Pricing: $19.99 a month, HSA/FSA eligible, no charge per visit, no insurance involved; may be reimbursable from an SF MRA.
Limitations:
- California residents only, on iOS only for now
- Cash membership; nothing is billed to insurance or Medi-Cal
- Non-controlled medications only; not for emergencies or anything needing an exam
When to choose something else: UCSF or Kaiser patient seen this year: the free portal. One refill only: Optum Perks at $29. Out tonight: the pharmacist at Walgreens Castro.
2. UCSF MyChart or Kaiser kp.org — free if an SF system already has your chart
Why it's included: UCSF states that requesting a medication refill in MyChart carries no charge; allow up to three business days, and refills are approved only for patients a UCSF provider has seen within 12 months. Kaiser San Francisco members reorder in the kp.org app for mail delivery or pickup at the 2238 Geary Boulevard pharmacy, and if the prescription has lapsed can use a $0 e-visit (replies usually within two hours, 7 am to 7 pm) or Get Care Now video 24/7.
Best for: Anyone whose medication was prescribed inside UCSF or Kaiser by a clinician who has seen them recently.
Pricing: $0 for the request. A UCSF message asking for medical advice or a medication change may instead be billed as an e-visit ($0 Medi-Cal; $10 to $20 copay typical; about $75 under a deductible).
Limitations:
- Three business days at UCSF is too slow if the bottle runs out tomorrow
- Kaiser's drug benefit generally covers Kaiser-prescribed medications only; Mission Bay Medical Offices have no urgent care
- Confirm Geary pharmacy hours on kp.org before a late trip
When to choose something else: Not seen within a year, or your prescriber sits outside these systems: any paid option below, or the pharmacist tonight.
3. The pharmacist at Walgreens Castro — a free emergency refill, 24 hours a day
Why it's included: California allows a pharmacist to dispense an emergency supply of a non-controlled maintenance medication without a new prescription when the prescriber cannot be reached and, in the pharmacist's judgment, stopping the drug could significantly harm you (Business and Professions Code 4064). The pharmacist has to attempt to contact your prescriber first and inform both of you afterward; the statute sets no quantity, so expect a short bridge. With Rite Aid gone from California since October 2025, the Walgreens at 498 Castro Street (at 18th) is the 24-hour pharmacy we verified in the city, its counter closing only from 1:30 to 2:00 am.
Best for: Anyone who runs out tonight or over a weekend with a prescription on file at a chain pharmacy.
Pricing: No fee for the pharmacist's time; the medication is at your usual copay or cash price.
Limitations:
- Pharmacist's discretion; a busy counter or a thin record can mean a no
- Non-controlled only; a bridge quantity, so you still need a prescriber
- AB 1587 (effective 2027) adjusts the notification duty, not the quantity
When to choose something else: Declined, or no prescription on file anywhere: any online option here. This keeps happening: Momentary.
4. Optum Perks Online Care — the $29 request that works at 3 am
Why it's included: Optum Perks Online Care (checkout may show the Optum Now name) takes a $29 online request for a refill of an existing prescription, reviews it around the clock, and returns a treatment plan in roughly 15 minutes, with the prescription sent to whichever SF pharmacy you choose. California is an eligible state; some insurance plans and HSA/FSA cards are accepted.
Best for: A single cash refill at the lowest price, especially outside clinic hours.
Pricing: $29 per request; a free drug coupon follows. Some older Optum pages list $39; the $29 should appear at checkout.
Limitations:
- You fill in a form and a provider reviews it; there is no live exchange
- Existing medications only; the provider may decline drugs that need recent labs
- Controlled substances excluded
When to choose something else: Want a live video visit: Sesame or Doctronic. Refills recur: Momentary.
5. Sesame Care — same-day video from $34, and you choose the clinician
Why it's included: On Sesame, independent physicians and nurse practitioners publish their own cash prices, and a refill visit is a standard listing. The number you see is the number you pay, same-day video openings are common, and the renewal reaches your pharmacy while you are still on the call.
Best for: A San Franciscan who wants a real conversation today at a transparent price and no membership.
Pricing: From $34 per refill visit (typically $30 to $50); $29 with a Costco membership. Insurance not accepted.
Limitations:
- The floor price is not the typical price
- A different clinician each visit means re-explaining your history
- Controlled substances excluded
When to choose something else: Cheapest single request: Optum Perks at $29. A free AI pre-check and a physician who takes insurance: Doctronic ($39 or copay). Ongoing refills and labs: Momentary.
6. Teladoc or PlushCare — a copay for insured San Franciscans
Why it's included: Many SF employer plans include Teladoc as the telehealth benefit, and several Medi-Cal managed care plans use it too, so an insured resident's cheapest refill is often $0 to a copay for a 24/7 video or phone visit ($89 cash). PlushCare takes most major commercial plans in network and lets you rebook the same physician by video for ongoing blood pressure, thyroid, or diabetes management, including lab orders.
Best for: Insured residents whose plan lists Teladoc; insured residents who want a virtual doctor to rebook (PlushCare).
Pricing: Teladoc $89 cash or $0 to a copay. PlushCare $129 a visit cash or an in-network copay (often about $30), plus a $19.99 a month membership (first 30 days free).
Limitations:
- Paying cash here costs more than anywhere else on this page
- Teladoc assigns the clinician; each refill is a fresh visit
- PlushCare's membership auto-renews after the free month
When to choose something else: Uninsured: Optum Perks, Sesame, or Momentary. GoodRx Companion subscriber ($14.99 a month) with one refill to bridge: GoodRx Care at $19 ($49 without Companion), once per 12 months, ages 18 to 65.
Healthy San Francisco, the SF MRA, and Who Pays for the Refill
Healthy San Francisco participants. Healthy SF is a city access program, not insurance, for uninsured SF residents 18 and older who are ineligible for Medi-Cal or Medicare, with household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level. The quarterly fee scales with income from $0 to $450, and care runs through an assigned medical home in the SF Health Network or a community clinic. Prescriptions written by the medical home's provider and on its formulary are covered and filled at its designated pharmacy, commonly the ZSFG Outpatient Pharmacy at 1001 Potrero Avenue, Building 5 (Monday to Friday 9 am to 8 pm, Saturday 9 am to 1 pm, free delivery inside the city). An outside telehealth visit is not a Healthy SF benefit. Enrollment is in person with an application assistor (628-206-7800).
SF MRA holders. If an SF employer met the Health Care Security Ordinance by paying into the SF City Option, you may have an SF Medical Reimbursement Account in your name. Its eligible-expense list includes telehealth and telemedicine consultations by live video, text message, or email, so a Momentary membership, a Sesame visit, or a PlushCare fee may be reimbursable; submit the receipt and let the administrator decide. Accounts close after 36 months without a claim.
Who Should Choose Each Option
- UCSF or Kaiser patient seen within the year: the free MyChart or kp.org refill request ($0)
- Empty bottle tonight, prescription on file at Walgreens: the pharmacist at 498 Castro St, BPC 4064 emergency refill ($0 fee)
- One refill, cash, lowest price, any hour: Optum Perks Online Care ($29)
- Daily medications and this will happen again: Momentary ($19.99 a month, California residents, iOS)
- Prefer a face on video and to pick who it is: Sesame Care (from $34)
- Free AI answer first, insurance for the visit: Doctronic ($39 or copay)
- Employer plan or Medi-Cal with Teladoc: Teladoc ($0 to copay)
- Healthy San Francisco participant: your medical home and its designated pharmacy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy in San Francisco that can refill my prescription without a doctor? The Walgreens at 498 Castro Street (at 18th) runs a 24-hour pharmacy, closed only from 1:30 to 2:00 am. Under Business and Professions Code 4064 the pharmacist there, or at any SF pharmacy, may dispense an emergency supply of a non-controlled maintenance medication when your prescriber cannot be reached; the pharmacist sets the quantity and can decline.
Does UCSF charge for a prescription refill request in MyChart? No. UCSF says there is no charge for requesting a medication refill through MyChart; allow up to three business days, and a UCSF provider must have seen you within 12 months. A message asking for medical advice or a medication change is different: since November 2021 UCSF may bill it as an e-visit, typically a $10 to $20 copay with private insurance, $0 with Medi-Cal, or about $75 under a deductible.
Can I use my SF MRA to pay for an online doctor or a telehealth membership? Possibly. The SF Medical Reimbursement Account's eligible-expense list includes telehealth and telemedicine consultations by live video, text message, or email, which describes Momentary, Sesame, Doctronic, and PlushCare. Reimbursement is decided claim by claim, so check the current list at sfcityoption.org.
I am on Healthy San Francisco and my clinic cannot see me for weeks. How do I get a refill? Call your medical home and ask for a refill request; medications its provider prescribed that are on its formulary are covered and go through the designated pharmacy, often the ZSFG Outpatient Pharmacy with free delivery in the city. Healthy SF does not pay for outside telehealth, so an Optum Perks or Sesame visit would be out of pocket ($29 to $34) plus the drug.
Can Momentary refill my prescription if I live in San Francisco? Yes; San Francisco is in California, and Momentary serves California residents. A licensed California physician renews non-controlled prescriptions (blood pressure medications, statins, levothyroxine, metformin, inhalers, SSRIs, contraceptive pills) and orders a lab first when one is due, for the $19.99 monthly fee with nothing charged per visit. It is iOS only, does not bill insurance or Medi-Cal, will not renew controlled substances, and is not for emergencies.
Can I get a Kaiser prescription refilled online in San Francisco? Yes, if you are a member. Order refills in the kp.org app for mail delivery or pickup at the 2238 Geary Boulevard pharmacy (hours on kp.org). If the prescription has expired, a $0 e-visit on most plans usually gets a reply within two hours, and Get Care Now video or phone runs 24/7.
