What Can I Buy With My Medicare Benefits Card?
A Medicare benefits card is the prepaid card some Medicare Advantage plans give you to spend a set allowance on approved items. Most cards cover over-the-counter (OTC) health products — pain relievers, cold and allergy medicine, vitamins, first-aid supplies, and dental and oral care. Some plans (often special-needs or chronic-condition plans) also let you use it for healthy groceries or utilities. What you can buy and how much you have depends entirely on your plan, so check your plan’s catalog or the back of your card.
What is a Medicare benefits card?
A "benefits card" is a prepaid card that certain Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans load with a spending allowance. It is not part of Original Medicare — only private Medicare Advantage plans offer it, and the exact name varies: UnitedHealthcare calls it the UCard, Humana uses a Spending Account Card, and Aetna an Extra Benefits Card. Many plans use administrators such as NationsBenefits, OTC Network, or Healthy Benefits+.
The most common version is an over-the-counter (OTC) allowance. Some plans bundle several benefits — OTC, healthy food, and utility help — onto one card, with a separate allowance for each.
Approved over-the-counter (OTC) items
On almost every benefits card, you can buy everyday health and wellness products. Typical eligible categories include:
- Pain relievers and fever reducers (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen)
- Cold, cough, flu, and allergy medicine
- Vitamins and supplements
- First-aid supplies — bandages, antiseptic, gauze
- Dental and oral care — toothpaste, denture products, mouthwash
- Eye and ear care — reading glasses, drops
- Digestive aids, stomach remedies, and incontinence products
- Blood-pressure monitors and other home health devices
Popular OTC-eligible products
Examples of the kinds of items plans commonly cover. Whether a specific product is eligible — and where you can use your card — depends on your plan’s catalog, so always check before you buy.
Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen 200 mg (100 ct)
Everyday pain reliever and fever reducer — a common OTC-card staple.
View on Amazon →Amazon Basic Care Loratadine 10 mg (365 ct)
24-hour non-drowsy antihistamine for seasonal allergy relief.
View on Amazon →Centrum Silver Adults 50+ Multivitamin (220 ct)
Daily multivitamin formulated for adults over 50.
View on Amazon →Johnson & Johnson All-Purpose First Aid Kit (160 pc)
Bandages, gauze, and antiseptic for minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.
View on Amazon →Sensodyne Pronamel Toothpaste (3-pack)
Enamel-protecting toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
View on Amazon →Omron Evolv Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor
Upper-arm monitor — a frequently covered home health device.
View on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, Medicare Login Guide earns from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon are affiliate links — they do not change the price you pay, and they have no bearing on what your Medicare plan covers.
Groceries, utilities, and other extras (some plans)
Certain Medicare Advantage plans — most often Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and chronic-condition special-needs plans — let you use the card for more than OTC items, such as healthy groceries (fruits, vegetables, dairy, pantry staples) or help paying utility bills.
These richer benefits are not on most standard Medicare Advantage plans. If you do not have a special-needs plan, your card most likely covers OTC items only. Always confirm in your plan documents — buying a non-covered item is simply declined at checkout.
Where can I use it?
Most benefits cards work at major retailers and pharmacies, in store and often online:
- In store at participating retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Dollar General
- Online through your plan’s OTC catalog or the card administrator’s website
- By phone, using your plan’s OTC order line
- Through the card administrator’s mobile app (for example, the OTC Network app)
How do I check my balance?
- Call the member or card-services number printed on the back of your card
- Log in to your plan’s member portal or app
- Check the card administrator’s website or app (UCard, OTC Network, NationsBenefits, Healthy Benefits+, etc.)
Activate the card first
New benefits cards usually must be activated before you can use them — call the activation number on the card or activate online. Allowances are often loaded each quarter and frequently expire at the end of the quarter if unused, so check whether your balance rolls over.
Frequently asked questions
Can I withdraw cash from my Medicare benefits card?
No. Benefits cards cannot be used at ATMs or for cash back. They only work for approved items at participating retailers; non-covered purchases are declined at checkout.
Can I buy food with my Medicare benefits card?
Only on certain plans. Healthy-grocery benefits are usually limited to Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and some chronic-condition special-needs plans. Most standard Medicare Advantage cards cover over-the-counter health items only.
Does my allowance roll over?
Usually not. Many plans load the allowance quarterly and it expires at the end of the quarter (March, June, September, December) if unused. Check your plan’s rules so you don’t lose it.
How much is on my card?
It depends entirely on your plan — there is no standard amount. Check your plan’s Summary of Benefits, your member portal, or call the number on the back of the card.
Which plans give you a benefits card?
Only private Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not include a benefits or OTC card. Compare plans at the Medicare.gov Plan Finder to see which offer it in your area.
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Medicare Login Guide is an independent resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency. This article is for general information only — confirm current figures and your specific options at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.