diff --git a/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/MedicationsList/MedicationsListFilter.jsx b/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/MedicationsList/MedicationsListFilter.jsx
index 7e2649d32688..2785fe043b84 100644
--- a/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/MedicationsList/MedicationsListFilter.jsx
+++ b/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/MedicationsList/MedicationsListFilter.jsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import {
   VaRadio,
@@ -10,11 +10,20 @@ import {
 import { focusElement } from '@department-of-veterans-affairs/platform-utilities/ui';
 import {
   filterOptions,
+  SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT,
   SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION,
 } from '../../util/constants';
 
 const MedicationsListFilter = props => {
   const { updateFilter, filterOption, setFilterOption } = props;
+  const ref = useRef(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT)) {
+      ref.current.setAttribute('open', true);
+      sessionStorage.removeItem(SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT);
+    }
+  }, []);
 
   const handleFilterOptionChange = ({ detail }) => {
     setFilterOption(detail.value);
@@ -30,7 +39,8 @@ const MedicationsListFilter = props => {
       const isOpen = target.getAttribute('open');
       if (isOpen === 'false') {
         setFilterOption(
-          sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION) || null,
+          sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION) ||
+            filterOptions.ALL_MEDICATIONS.url,
         );
       }
     }
@@ -51,6 +61,7 @@ const MedicationsListFilter = props => {
         bordered="true"
         id="filter"
         data-testid="rx-filter"
+        ref={ref}
         uswds
       >
         <span slot="icon">
diff --git a/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/RefillPrescriptions/RefillNotification.jsx b/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/RefillPrescriptions/RefillNotification.jsx
index 1661ac093bbf..40aff6f8479b 100644
--- a/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/RefillPrescriptions/RefillNotification.jsx
+++ b/src/applications/mhv-medications/components/RefillPrescriptions/RefillNotification.jsx
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@ import { focusElement } from '@department-of-veterans-affairs/platform-utilities
 import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import { dataDogActionNames } from '../../util/dataDogConstants';
 import { selectFilterFlag } from '../../util/selectors';
-import {
-  SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION,
-  filterOptions,
-} from '../../util/constants';
+import { SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT } from '../../util/constants';
 
 const RefillNotification = ({ refillStatus }) => {
   // Selectors
@@ -43,11 +40,8 @@ const RefillNotification = ({ refillStatus }) => {
   );
 
   const handleGoToMedicationsListOnSuccess = () => {
-    if (!sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION)) {
-      sessionStorage.setItem(
-        SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION,
-        Object.values(filterOptions)[0].label,
-      );
+    if (!sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT)) {
+      sessionStorage.setItem(SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT, true);
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/src/applications/mhv-medications/containers/Prescriptions.jsx b/src/applications/mhv-medications/containers/Prescriptions.jsx
index b4e1f481bf25..0e9c9a31f294 100644
--- a/src/applications/mhv-medications/containers/Prescriptions.jsx
+++ b/src/applications/mhv-medications/containers/Prescriptions.jsx
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ const Prescriptions = () => {
   const [loadingMessage, setLoadingMessage] = useState('');
   const [sortingInProgress, setSortingInProgress] = useState(false);
   const [filterOption, setFilterOption] = useState(
-    sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION) || null,
+    sessionStorage.getItem(SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION) ||
+      filterOptions.ALL_MEDICATIONS.url,
   );
   const [pdfTxtGenerateStatus, setPdfTxtGenerateStatus] = useState({
     status: PDF_TXT_GENERATE_STATUS.NotStarted,
diff --git a/src/applications/mhv-medications/util/constants.js b/src/applications/mhv-medications/util/constants.js
index a223d5cff1e6..fd33f8ac1c7d 100644
--- a/src/applications/mhv-medications/util/constants.js
+++ b/src/applications/mhv-medications/util/constants.js
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ export const dispStatusObj = {
 
 export const SESSION_SELECTED_SORT_OPTION = 'SESSION_SELECTED_SORT_OPTION';
 export const SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION = 'SESSION_SELECTED_FILTER_OPTION';
+export const SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT =
+  'SESSION_RX_FILTER_OPEN_BY_DEFAULT';
 export const SESSION_SELECTED_PAGE_NUMBER = 'SESSION_SELECTED_PAGE_NUMBER';
 
 export const INCLUDE_IMAGE_ENDPOINT = '&include_image=true';