Medicare beneficiaries may apply a credit called a Medicare Grocery Allowance toward reasonably priced, healthful goods at the supermarket. A food allowance is one advantage of certain Special Needs Plans, a subset of Medicare Advantage plans designed for a particular group of individuals.
Medicare Grocery Allowance
Some Medicare Advantage plans feature a Medicare Grocery Allowance, also referred to as the healthy foods benefit, an additional advantage. For individuals who qualify, it provides a monthly budget to enable the purchase of pantry basics and nutritious foods.
Only specific Medicare Advantage plans provide the benefit; not everyone will qualify. Grocery allowances let those with chronic illnesses pay for healthier meals. Some Medicare Advantage plans also include food delivery for plan members during a stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, therefore augmenting their benefit to those with chronic diseases.
Medicare Grocery Allowance Plan
If you qualify and your Medicare Advantage plan includes a grocery allowance, you will probably be sent a flex card. Each month, the flex card loads a prepaid amount that you may use to cover Medicare costs—that example, food expenditures.
Your plan and area will determine the monthly amount you get; usually, it varies from $25 to $275, with an average of around $150.
Depending on the plan, you may be able to purchase qualified food products online or have groceries delivered straight to your house using select Flex cards at authorized grocery shops.
Who is eligible for Medicare Grocery Allowance?
If you are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, you may be qualified for a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP); should you have any chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, COPD, end-stage renal disease, or heart disease, you could be qualified for a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP).
Plans with a grocery allowance vary depending on where they are available. Your county could or might not have a strategy including a grocery allowance. The particular Medicare Advantage plan and its rules will determine eligibility for the food allowance. Following are some typical standards:
- Access to it is limited to those registered in programs providing the grocery benefit. This is not a characteristic of every Medicare Advantage plan.
- Many strategies give those with chronic diseases a priority. Managing such diseases mostly depends on a proper diet, so the initiative focuses on these people.
- Targeting those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, some plans may include the grocery allowance as part of their dual-eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs).
- State and area might affect availability; not all insurance companies give this benefit throughout the United States.
Additionally, take in mind that plan benefits vary year to year, therefore an Advantage plan providing the food allowance this year may not provide it next year, and vice versa. This can help you identify which, if any, plans include a grocery allowance or any other particular benefit you are seeking.
What can I buy with Medicare Grocery Benefit?
Since you are typically limited with the kind of items you may buy with the Medicare food allowance card, the Medicare grocery benefit is also referred to as the Medicare healthy food card.
Understanding what your food allowance card allows you to buy helps you avoid surprises at the register. The Medicare grocery benefit covers often the following items:
- Salad kits
- Fresh or canned fruit and vegetables
- Beans
- Healthy grains
- Meats and proteins
- Dairy products
- Pantry staples (flour, sugar, seasonings)
- Water
- Nutrition shakes
- And more
What Is Not Covered By The Medicare Food Allowance?
Like knowing what is covered, you should also know what the Medicare food allowance does not cover. Not often covered are certain popular supermarket products including:
- Chips
- Soda
- Candy
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Pet food
- Baby formula
- Baked goods
- Coffee
How does a Medicare Advantage grocery allowance work?
Only Medicare Advantage enrollees with certain chronic diseases will benefit from the grocery allowance or healthy foods. While some MA plans intended especially for those on Medicare and Medicaid provide these advantages, others provide increased meal benefits.
Usually monthly or quarterly, some Medicare Advantage plans provide grocery allowances using prepaid debit cards, or flex cards. Apart from fresh fruit and vegetables, the cards might cover over-the-counter medications and items from affiliated supermarkets, drugstores, and other establishments.
Grocery allowances are more likely to be granted to those on special needs programs. Medicare Advantage SNPs provide specific advantages for individuals qualified for both Medicare and Medicaid or for those with certain chronic diseases.
For those that qualify, some provide groceries, in-home assistance, and transportation as well as others Find out if you qualify before deciding on a Medicare Advantage plan as not all of them include a food allowance.