This Medicare Card Could Put $200 Toward Your Groceries: Here’s How to Qualify
Plus, learn what you can (and can't) buy with the card
Key Takeaways
- Some Medicare Advantage C-SNP plans offer a grocery card worth up to $200.
- You must have one of 15 eligible chronic conditions and enroll during open enrollment.
- The card covers groceries but excludes alcohol, tobacco, candy and pet items.
Did you know that some Medicare plans offer cards that can help pay for your groceries? That’s right! A select number of Medicare Advantage (or Medicare Part C) plans offer a “Medicare Grocery Card” loaded with up to $200. To learn more about how to get it, and if there are any groceriers you can’t buy with the cards, keep scrolling!
What is a Medicare Grocery Card?
A Medicare Grocery Card is a grocery allowance debit card given to seniors enrolled in a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP), a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for those with severe or disabling chronic conditions.
“Some Medicare Advantage plans offer a grocery allowance as part of the benefit package, which may also include vision, dental and hearing coverage,” says Whitney Stidom, vice president of consumer enablement at eHealth. “For Medicare Advantage plans that offer it, the Medicare grocery benefit may be offered as a monthly, quarterly or annual allowance for eligible food and grocery items. Most plans that offer this benefit will send beneficiaries a card that they can use at participating stores, including many national and regional markets.”
How to qualify for a Medicare Grocery Card
To qualify for a Medicare Grocery Card you must be eligible for a C-SNP. The 15 conditions that are currently eligible for that according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are:
- Chronic alcohol and other drug dependence
- Autoimmune disorders (limited to)
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Polymyositis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Cancer, excluding pre-cancer conditions or in-situ status
- Cardiovascular disorders (limited to)
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Coronary artery disease
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Chronic venous thromboembolic disorder
- Chronic heart failure
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- End-stage liver disease
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis
- Severe hematologic disorders (limited to)
- Aplastic anemia
- Hemophilia
- Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
- Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Sickle-cell disease (excluding sickle-cell trait)
- HIV/AIDS
- Chronic lung disorders (limited to)
- Asthma
- Chronic bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Chronic and disabling mental health conditions (limited to)
- Bipolar disorders
- Major depressive disorders
- Paranoid disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Neurologic disorders (limited to)
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Epilepsy
- Extensive paralysis (i.e., hemiplegia, quadriplegia, paraplegia, monoplegia)
- Huntington’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Polyneuropathy
- Spinal stenosis
- Stroke-related neurologic deficit
- Stroke
In addition to being diagnosed with one or more of those conditions, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part C and have your doctor sign a Verification of Chronic Condition (VCC) form during the standard open enrollment period, which begins October 15.
“These types of plans are becoming increasingly popular, with enrollment surging significantly during the last year to over 1.1 million people,” says Stidom. “Even so, many older Americans overlook these specialized plans, given 68 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have two or more chronic conditions yet fewer than 5 percent of enrollees are in a C-SNP.”
Stidom also notes that when it comes to signing up for a C-SNP plan, not all are the same, so she recommends doing your research before open enrollment.
“For instance, some C-SNPs may provide additional resources for people with diabetes, including improved coverage for blood glucose monitoring supplies or access to lifestyle programs focused on improving nutrition and exercise habits,” she explains.
What does a Medicare Grocery Card cover?
When you get your Medicare Grocery Card, you can purchase all types of fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, cereal, flour, sugar, frozen foods and canned food. Items you cannot purchase include pet items, candy, chips, desserts, fresh baked goods, soda, alcohol and tobacco. The card is accepted at most major grocery and convenience stores including Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Walgreens and CVS. The cards are typically preloaded monthly or quarterly with with amounts ranging from $25 to $200.
“One of the best ways retirees can stretch their grocery budget is to make sure they’re taking advantage of every benefit available through their health coverage,” assures Stidom. “Because these benefits vary by plan and eligibility requirements, it’s worth reviewing your coverage each year to ensure you’re not overlooking savings that could support both your budget and your long-term health.”
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