IIt is no secret that a large part United States has a problem with healthy eating and that’s why programs such as Medicare’s Grocery Allowance exist.
The Grocery Plus benefit allows recipients to purchase a variety of healthy foods from participating grocery stores.
This quarterly allowance, which is combined with your over-the-counter (OTC) allowance, helps you stretch your food budget and buy healthy, high-quality foods.
If you qualify for the Grocery Plus benefit, you will receive a Healthy Benefits+ card that you can use for all eligible purchases. Eligible members can use their quarterly allowance for groceries, OTC, or a portion of each.
What foods fall under Grocery Plus?
There are a large number of foods covered by the Grocery Plus program and they include fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, dairy products, meats and seafood, beans and legumes, grains like oats , cereals, rice and pasta, frozen foods and meals, nutritional shakes and bars, water and vitamin water, and more.
You must log in to your Healthy Benefits+ account to see which products are eligible while you are in stores.
There are items that aren’t covered, so it’s important to keep checking as you go to avoid any unpleasant surprises at checkouts.
No sweets or alcohol
Money cannot be used on non-food items, pet items, baby formula, candies, chips, desserts, fresh baked goods, sodas, tobacco, alcohol and coffee items.
Many stores will allow you to use the Healthy Benefits+ card and participating stores include ACME, CVS Duane Reade, Stop & Shop, Walgreens Walmart, Food Lion and Kroger.
Once you qualify for the Grocery Plus benefit, you will be able to use your quarterly allowance on both over-the-counter and grocery items.
You will receive your allowance on the first day of each term. Your allowance is automatically added to your Healthy Benefits+ card on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
If you do not spend the full balance each quarter, the balance will not carry over to the next quarter and you will lose any remaining amount on your card as the next quarter’s allowance is added.