See if you qualify for a Monthly Allowance for Groceries* with a Healthy Food Card
Health Compare
Sep 9, 2025
Did you know if you have Medicaid and Medicare and a qualifying condition you may be eligible for a Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan with a grocery allowance that you can use to buy plan approved healthy food?
What is the Medicare Grocery Allowance?
To help lower the costs of healthy food for individuals who have both Medicare and Medicaid, many Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans offer an allowance for eligible groceries.
TIP: Did you know that you can use our plan finder to discover Medicare plans in your area that may include more of the nutritional and healthcare services you may need such as an allowance for eligible groceries? Or, call today to speak with a Licensed Insurance Agent to see if you qualify and who can answer your Medicare Advantage questions: 877-882-1927.
Who Qualifies for a healthy food allowance?
Beneficiaries who may qualify for a Medicare Advantage plan that offers an allowance for eligible groceries are those who meet the plan’s specific eligibility requirements.
- Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) participants, those with both medicare and medicaid.
- Having a qualifying health condition including heart failure, chronic lung disorders and diabetes mellitus.
Check with your plan to see if you qualify.
What is the grocery allowance benefit?
Learn more about the Medicare Advantage plans that include a healthy food allowance for plan approved items:
- Eligible members get a grocery allowance
- Buy healthy food online or in person at stores that are approved for your specific policy. Not all stores qualify.
- Shop at participating retailers, many of which are major national chains
- Some plans may cover meal delivery services, based on qualifying circumstances
How can you lower the costs of your groceries and still get the nutritious food that will keep you strong and healthy? Consider seeing if you qualify for a Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs plan that includes an allowance for plan approved healthy food.
Where can I shop with a healthy food allowance?
It’s a good idea to verify the participating retailers applicable to your plan.
Find a Medicare Advantage plan
Get recommendations based on what's important to you, and compare them to your existing plan.
Are There Items I Can’t Buy with a grocery allowance?
Top items you can’t buy with a healthy food allowance include:
- Cigarettes, tobacco and vaping items
- Pet food and supplies
- Lottery tickets
- Household cleaning products
- Personal hygiene products
- Fresh flowers
- Alcohol
Can I Buy Nonfood Items With My Allowance?
Some plans offer dually-eligible beneficiaries the ability to purchase plan approved over-the-counter (OTC) products and qualifying groceries. Some Medicare Advantage plans have a separate OTC benefit that you can use at participating pharmacies.
Medicare Plans With Healthy Food Allowance
While Original Medicare and Medicaid programs are available across the United States, access to Medicare Advantage plans, sold by private insurance companies, varies by location. A licensed insurance agent can research options and help you navigate plans in your area that offer healthy food benefits. Allowance amounts cannot be combined with other benefit allowances. Limitations and restrictions may apply.
TIP: Use the Medicare plan finder to find DSNP plans in your area that include nutrition benefits and compare them against your existing coverage.
Please note that it can be subject to restriction. More information
For Anthem and Humana, this spending allowance, Extra Debit is a special program for members with specific health conditions. Qualifying conditions include diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, chronic and disabling mental health conditions, chronic lung disorders, or chronic heart failure, among others. Some plans require at least two conditions and other requirements apply. See the plan’s Evidence of Coverage for details.
For UnitedHealthcare’s Dual Special Needs Plans, the Healthy Food [and utilities] benefit is a special supplemental benefit only available to the chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure, chronic high blood pressure and/or chronic high cholesterol and who all meet all applicable plan coverage criteria. There may be other qualified chronic conditions not listed.”
For UnitedHealthcare Chronic condition Special Needs Plans, the Healthy Food [and utilities] benefit is a special supplemental benefit only available to the chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition such as diabetes, chronic heart failure, and/or cardiovascular disorders and who all meet all applicable plan coverage criteria. There may be other qualified chronic conditions not listed.
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