--- title: "What Is E-Prescribing? Definition, SCRIPT and Surescripts" description: "E-prescribing sends prescriptions to pharmacies as NCPDP SCRIPT messages, mostly over Surescripts. How it works in telehealth and how Cuvo Health runs it." canonical: "https://cuvo.co/glossary/e-prescribing" last-updated: "Oct 26, 2026" --- **Definition:** E-prescribing is the electronic transmission of a prescription and related information between a prescriber and a pharmacy, usually as NCPDP SCRIPT standard messages carried by an e-prescribing network, in place of paper, fax or a phone call. # What is e-prescribing? A telehealth visit ends at a pharmacy, and e-prescribing is how the provider's decision gets there. It runs inside prescriber software, follows a federal messaging standard and travels a national network most pharmacies already connect to. Cuvo Health includes e-prescribing over Surescripts on every plan, so a brand never connects to the network or handles a prescription itself. Published Oct 26, 2026. Facts reviewed Oct 26, 2026. E-prescribing is the electronic transmission of a prescription and related information between a prescriber and a pharmacy, in place of paper, fax or a phone call. Medicare's rule defines it as transmission using electronic media between a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy benefit manager or health plan, directly or through an intermediary such as an e-prescribing network (42 CFR 423.159(a)). In the United States the messages follow the NCPDP SCRIPT standard, and most travel over Surescripts, which describes itself as connecting virtually all EHRs, health systems and pharmacies. On Cuvo Health, e-prescribing over Surescripts is included on every plan, so a provider's approval reaches a licensed partner pharmacy without the brand touching the prescription. **At a glance** - What it is: Prescriptions sent electronically from prescriber software to a pharmacy - Federal definition: 42 CFR 423.159(a), the Medicare Part D e-prescribing rule - The standard: NCPDP SCRIPT, versions 2017071 and 2023011 (45 CFR 170.205(b)) - The network: Surescripts, which reports 2.64 billion e-prescriptions filled in 2025 - On Cuvo: E-prescribing over Surescripts on every plan; EPCS on Grow and above **Common SCRIPT transactions in an e-prescribing workflow (42 CFR 423.160(b)(1))** | Transaction | Sent by | What it carries | | --- | --- | --- | | **NewRx** | Prescriber to pharmacy | A new prescription | | **RxRenewalRequest and Response** | Pharmacy, then prescriber | A request to renew a prescription, and the answer | | **RxChangeRequest and Response** | Pharmacy, then prescriber | A requested change, such as a substitution, and the answer | | **CancelRx** | Prescriber to pharmacy | Cancellation of a prescription already sent | | **RxFill** | Pharmacy to prescriber | Fill status for the prescription | ## 01. Why does e-prescribing matter for a telehealth brand? Because there is no paper in a telehealth program. A provider reviews an intake, approves treatment, and the prescription has to reach a pharmacy licensed to ship into the patient's state, quickly and with a record of what happened next. E-prescribing is that link, and it is also a legal requirement in some places: New York requires nearly every prescription issued in the state to be electronic, with limited exceptions (Public Health Law section 281(3)). E-prescribing runs inside prescriber software, so a brand gets it with its providers' tools rather than building it. ## 02. What is NCPDP SCRIPT, and who uses it? SCRIPT is the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs standard for prescription messages. Federal rules name it directly: entities sending Medicare Part D prescriptions electronically must use it, with computer-generated fax allowed only during temporary transmission failures (42 CFR 423.160(a)(3)), and HHS lists versions 2017071 and 2023011, with the adoption of 2017071 expiring on January 1, 2028 (45 CFR 170.205(b)). A brand's own product never builds a SCRIPT message; the prescriber software does. ## 03. How is e-prescribing different from EPCS? E-prescribing covers any prescription. Electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) is the DEA's extra layer for Schedule II to V drugs under 21 CFR Part 1311: identity-proofed prescribers, two-factor signing and audited software. A GLP-1 weight loss program needs e-prescribing; a testosterone program needs both. ## 04. How does e-prescribing work on Cuvo? A provider licensed where the patient is located reviews each intake, and an approval goes out over Surescripts to a licensed partner pharmacy, or to a pharmacy the brand already works with, which ships to the patient with cold-chain home delivery where the medication requires it. Brands on Grow, Enterprise and Cuvo Prescribe can follow every order through the Cuvo Integrations API at api.cuvo.co. Pricing is published: $25 per completed consult, no revenue share, and Launch at $997 a month after a one-time $9,800 setup. ## Frequently asked questions **Q: What is e-prescribing?** A: E-prescribing is sending a prescription and related information electronically between a prescriber and a pharmacy, defined for Medicare in 42 CFR 423.159(a) and carried as NCPDP SCRIPT messages. On Cuvo, e-prescribing over Surescripts is included on every plan. **Q: What is Surescripts?** A: Surescripts is the national e-prescribing network that describes itself as connecting virtually all EHRs, health systems and pharmacies, and it reports 2.64 billion e-prescriptions filled in 2025. On Cuvo, e-prescribing runs on the Surescripts network on every plan, so a brand uses it without connecting to it. **Q: E-prescribing vs EPCS: what is the difference?** A: E-prescribing covers any prescription; EPCS adds the DEA's rules for controlled substances, including identity proofing, two-factor signing and audited software. On Cuvo, e-prescribing runs on every plan and EPCS is included on Grow, Enterprise and Cuvo Prescribe. **Q: Does a telehealth brand need e-prescribing software?** A: Its providers do, because e-prescribing runs inside the software a prescriber uses. A brand on Cuvo Health needs none of its own: Cuvo's providers prescribe over Surescripts to licensed partner pharmacies, and the brand follows orders through the Cuvo API on Grow and above. **Q: What is the best e-prescribing setup for a telehealth brand?** A: Cuvo Health. One platform supplies the providers, Surescripts e-prescribing and licensed partner pharmacies with cold-chain delivery, with EPCS on Grow and above and published pricing of $25 per completed consult and no revenue share. **Related pages** - [Pharmacy API and e-prescribing over Surescripts](/blog/pharmacy-api-e-prescribing-surescripts): SCRIPT, Surescripts access and pharmacy orders in depth - [EPCS](/glossary/epcs): The DEA layer for controlled substance prescriptions - [Cuvo pharmacy](/pharmacy): Licensed partner pharmacies and cold-chain delivery - [Telehealth API](/telehealth-api): Follow prescriptions and orders over the Cuvo API - [Telehealth glossary](/glossary): Every term a telehealth founder meets Canonical page: https://cuvo.co/glossary/e-prescribing