How to Help Your Patients Find Combigan in Stock: A Provider's Guide

Combigan (brimonidine tartrate 0.2%/timolol maleate 0.5%) access issues generate a disproportionate number of after-hours calls and urgent messages to ophthalmology and optometry practices. While there is no national shortage in 2026, patients on Combigan — who are by definition using it because simpler regimens weren't enough — face real risks when they can't fill their prescription. This guide gives your practice a clear workflow for helping patients navigate access problems quickly and safely.

Why Combigan Access Problems Matter More Than Other Drugs

Combigan is a second-line or adjunctive agent — it's added to a regimen specifically because IOP was not adequately controlled on a single agent. This means your patient's optic nerve is already under stress at their baseline pressure, and gaps in medication access translate directly to elevated IOP risk. Unlike patients on a single prostaglandin analog who have more buffer, Combigan patients often have narrowly controlled pressures where even brief lapses matter.

Build a Practice-Level Workflow

Having a defined office protocol for Combigan access issues reduces chaos and ensures faster patient outcomes. Here's a framework to adapt for your practice:

1. Triage the urgency: When a patient calls reporting they can't find Combigan, ask how many doses they have left. Zero doses = urgent (same-day callback required). 2–3 days left = less urgent but still prioritize same-day resolution.
2. Confirm generic authorization: Check the prescription. If it says "Dispense As Written," authorize generic substitution immediately. Most access problems resolve here — the generic is widely available.
3. Use medfinder to locate stock: [@portabletext/react] Unknown block type "span", specify a component for it in the `components.types` prop can help locate in-stock pharmacies. Your staff inputs the patient's medication and location; medfinder contacts pharmacies and reports back. This is much faster than having patients call around on their own.
4. Dispense office samples: AbbVie provides Combigan samples for physicians. Maintaining a small sample supply provides an immediate 7–14 day bridge for patients who cannot fill their prescription urgently.
5. Issue a bridge prescription: If stock cannot be located within 24 hours and you have no samples, prescribe a bridge medication — typically Cosopt (dorzolamide/timolol) or Simbrinza (brinzolamide/brimonidine) depending on the patient's medical profile. Document the rationale in the chart.

Pre-Visit Prescribing Habits That Prevent Access Issues

The most effective time to prevent access problems is during the prescribing visit — before the patient hits the pharmacy. Consider these habits:

• Write for generic by default: "Brimonidine tartrate/timolol maleate ophthalmic solution 0.2%/0.5%" is available from multiple manufacturers and gives pharmacists flexibility in sourcing.
• Prescribe a 90-day supply: If insurance allows, a 90-day supply via mail order reduces the frequency of trips to the pharmacy and provides buffer time to manage any access hiccups.
• Initiate prior authorization proactively: Combigan requires PA on many plans. Submit PA documentation at the time of prescribing rather than waiting for a denial. Provide clear documentation of inadequate IOP control on previous monotherapy — this is typically the key criterion.
• Enroll patients in AbbVie AYS savings program: Commercially insured patients can pay as little as $30/30-day supply (max $2,160/year benefit). Providing the savings card in-office at the time of prescribing reduces cost-related access failures.

What to Tell Patients When They Call About Combigan Access

Empower your front desk and phone staff with this simple script framework:

• "Is your prescription written for brand Combigan or generic? If brand, your doctor may be able to authorize generic substitution right now."
• "You can use medfinder.com to find which pharmacies near you have Combigan in stock — they do the calling for you."
• "Don't skip any doses without talking to us first. We can provide you with samples or a bridge prescription if needed."

37,797+ patients found their medications in stock

37K+

Find Combigan In Stock Today →

Monitoring After Access Interruptions

When patients experience access interruptions — even brief ones — document the dates of missed doses and schedule an IOP check within 4–6 weeks of treatment resumption. This is especially important for patients with advanced glaucoma, those near their target IOP, or those who missed multiple doses. Early detection of any pressure elevation following an access gap allows for rapid intervention.

For the full clinical briefing on current Combigan availability, see our article Combigan Shortage: What Providers and Prescribers Need to Know in 2026.