How to Help Your Patients Find Skyrizi (Risankizumab) In Stock: A Provider's Guide

For prescribers of Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa), helping a patient get their prescription filled is rarely as simple as sending an e-prescription. The specialty biologic landscape requires prescribers and their staff to actively navigate prior authorization, specialty pharmacy selection, patient assistance enrollment, and ongoing renewal management.

This guide is designed for dermatologists, rheumatologists, and gastroenterologists who prescribe Skyrizi and want to streamline the process of getting patients access to their medication.

Step 1: Send the Prescription to the Right Place

Skyrizi cannot be dispensed at retail pharmacies. When writing the prescription, send it directly to a specialty pharmacy. The most efficient path is to send it to the patient's insurer-preferred specialty pharmacy at the time of PA submission, or — if the patient is enrolled in Skyrizi Complete — through the AbbVie hub service that coordinates pharmacy dispensing.

Sending the prescription to the wrong pharmacy causes delays of 1 to 2 weeks while it is transferred. Confirm the patient's in-network specialty pharmacy before submission.

Step 2: Submit a Complete PA at the Time of Prescribing

A complete PA submission at initial prescribing dramatically reduces delays. Key documentation to include:

Confirmed diagnosis with ICD-10 code and disease severity (PASI, BSA for psoriasis; Harvey-Bradshaw Index, endoscopic findings for Crohn's)

History of prior biologic or systemic therapy attempts and reason for discontinuation or inadequate response

Clinical rationale for Skyrizi (e.g., superiority in efficacy data, tolerability advantages over alternatives)

Comorbidities or contraindications that make step therapy alternatives inappropriate for this patient

Use tools like CoverMyMeds, PARx, or the AbbVie Skyrizi Complete hub to submit electronically and track PA status in real time.

Step 3: Enroll Patients in Skyrizi Complete at the Point of Care

Enroll patients in Skyrizi Complete (call 1-866-SKYRIZI) at the time of prescribing — don't wait for the PA to be approved. Early enrollment means the AbbVie team can start working on access in parallel. Key program benefits:

Dedicated patient nurse educator for injection training and adherence support

Case manager for PA navigation and specialty pharmacy coordination

Savings card reducing cost to $0/dose for eligible commercially insured patients ≤63 years old

Bridge program: free medication for up to 2 years for patients with PA denial on file and confirmed appeal

Step 4: Handle Denials Promptly

When a PA is denied, time is critical. The most effective strategies:

Peer-to-peer review: Request a call with the insurer's medical director within 24–48 hours of the denial. Present Skyrizi's clinical evidence and the patient's specific circumstances. This is often the fastest path to reversal.

Step therapy exception: Most states have enacted step therapy exception laws. If the step therapy drug is medically inappropriate for your patient (e.g., contraindicated, previously failed, or likely to cause harm), document this clearly in the appeal.

Expedited appeal: If the patient has urgent clinical need, request an expedited appeal — insurers are typically required to respond within 72 hours.

Step 5: Use medfinder to Help Patients Locate Available Specialty Pharmacies

Once PA is approved, patients frequently struggle to identify which specialty pharmacy actually has their Skyrizi in stock and can process their order. medfinder for providers is a paid service that calls specialty pharmacies on behalf of your patients to find availability — saving both your staff and your patients significant time and frustration.

Step 6: Manage PA Renewals Proactively

Most Skyrizi PAs must be renewed every 6 to 12 months. A lapsed PA can interrupt therapy for a patient who has been responding well — sometimes mid-treatment cycle. Best practice: build PA renewal tracking into your EHR or practice management system, with automatic reminders 60 days before expiration.

For renewal PA submissions, update the clinical documentation to reflect current disease severity scores, treatment response, and continued medical necessity.

Who Should Prescribe Skyrizi?

Skyrizi is most commonly prescribed by:

Dermatologists — for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

Rheumatologists — for active psoriatic arthritis

Gastroenterologists — for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

Skyrizi is not a controlled substance and has no DEA restrictions. Any licensed prescriber can technically write the prescription, but payers typically require it to be prescribed by a specialist for biologic PA approval.

For financial assistance resources to share with patients, see our Provider Guide to Skyrizi Savings Programs.