Tag: Meal benefits
Medicare Grocery Allowances: Who Qualifies and Is it Worth it?
January 15, 2025

In 2020, the Medicare Advantage expanded coverage benefits for those with chronic conditions, such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, end-stage renal or liver disease, heart disease, and more. The coverage expansion is referred to as the special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill or SSBCI. Some additional benefits include food allowances and prepared meals, but in some instances, they may even include over-the-counter medications, transportation, and in-home support services.
If you’re interested in receiving a grocery allowance or meal benefits or need food assistance, here’s everything you need to know about the additional coverage.
How the Medicare Grocery Allowance and Meal Benefits Work
Grocery allowances and meal benefits are not the same. If you qualify for grocery allowances, they are issued through prepaid debit cards on a monthly or quarterly basis. While the grocery allowance varies by state, it is usually $50 each quarter.
Under the CHRONIC Care Act, as of 2020, Medicare Advantage plans could also provide meals anytime to keep eligible recipients from needing hospitalization. Meal benefits are often more popular than grocery allowances, but it’s usually only offered for a limited amount of time, which is typically four weeks after a hospital stay.
Knowing Which Plans Offer Food Assistance
Not all Medicare Advantage plans include food allowances, so it’s important to determine if you qualify before choosing a plan. Traditional Medicare Part A and Part B and Medicare supplement plans, which are meant to supplement gaps in coverage, do not offer a grocery allowance. Some Part C Medicare Advantage Plans do offer grocery allowances and meal benefits, such as special needs plans or SNPs and dual-eligible special-needs plans D-SNPs. D-SNPs are meant for Medicare members who are also enrolled in Medicaid and who have a chronic condition. Those with Medicare Advantage plans who are disabled or who have a low-income subsidy or LIS may also be eligible to receive grocery benefits.
The CHRONIC Care Act of 2020 gave Medicare Advantage plans the ability to offer non-medical benefits such as funds for groceries. “Therefore, the Medicare Advantage plan can decide if they want to provide those benefits, and those benefits have to be designed only for the chronically ill,” says Alexandra Ashbrook, director of the Food Research and Action Center. “The non-medical services have to be targeted to people who have at least one chronic health condition, such as those at risk of hospitalization or some other adverse health outcome requiring intensive care coordination,” she says.
Qualifications for the grocery and meal benefits vary by plan, so it’s important to check with the plan’s provider to see what they offer and if your health condition qualifies. Choosing a plan based solely on food allowances isn’t the best approach over the long run. So, even if the plan offers a grocery or meal benefit, it may not justify what you pay for the plan. Whether or not the plan covers medical needs should always be the priority. Take into account every benefit the plan offers before making a decision.
What to do if You Don’t Qualify for Medicare Food Allowances
There are still other options for those who do not qualify for the grocery allowance through their Medicare Advantage Plan. Low-income seniors 60 or older can apply for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. Many people don’t even realize that they qualify for these benefits. “Unfortunately, only about 48% of eligible older adults are participating in SNAP,” Ashbrook says. “That’s a really important gap that health care providers and health systems could help to close before looking at any of the other additional food programs.”
Those who are 60 or older and have an income below 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines may also qualify for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program SFMNP or the Commodity Supplemental Food Program or CSFP. The SFMNP provides coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables, which can be used at farmers’ markets and community farms, while the CSFP is a monthly package of healthy food that the USDA distributes to local agencies for participants to pick up. If eligible, some states even offer package deliveries.
To find out if you are eligible for SNAP or either of these additional programs, you may fill out an application online. If you’re a veteran, for instance, you may be more likely to qualify for USDA food assistance programs. Even if you are not eligible for Medicare grocery allowances, SNAP, or other supplemental programs, you still have options. Meals On Wheels is another program designed to help low-income seniors access prepared meals. The meals are provided on a sliding scale based on a recipient’s income to make them an affordable option for those in need.
If any food assistance will help you, then exploring every available benefit will pay off. Whether it’s a Medicare food allowance or a USDA-based food assistance program, helping purchase and prepare healthy foods can go a long way in improving the quality of your everyday life. With Insureyouknow.org, you may keep track of your applications, health records, and grocery budgets in one easy-to-access place for all your meal planning needs.