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OTC Card NYC 2027: Which New York Plans Give an OTC Card and How Much

By Modinul Islam Khan Updated October 29, 2026

Reviewed October 29, 2026. In New York City, the big OTC cards come from Medicare Advantage plans, mostly Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. For 2027, examples include UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete NY-YL at $425 a month, VNS Health Total at $318 a month and Healthfirst CompleteCare at $256 a month. Regular New York Medicaid doesn’t give an OTC allowance card; it covers some over-the-counter items through NYRx when a prescriber orders them.

Quick answer: To get an OTC card in NYC, you generally need a Medicare Advantage plan that includes one. The largest 2027 amounts are on D-SNPs that require full Medicaid, and the very top amounts also require long-term care needs. Plans for people without Medicaid offer much smaller allowances, about $10 to $35 a month on the plans we checked. Amounts vary by plan and county, so confirm them in the plan’s 2027 Summary of Benefits before you enroll. Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026.

NYC OTC card amounts by plan for 2027

These amounts come from each plan’s 2027 plan pages or Summary of Benefits. They apply only to the named plan, and some plans are sold only in certain boroughs.

Plan (2027)	Type	Card	2027 OTC amount	2026 amount
UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete NY-YL, H3387-013-000 (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and other counties)	HMO-POS D-SNP; full Medicaid and Medicaid Advantage Plus eligibility	UnitedHealthcare UCard	$425 credit a month (OTC, plus healthy food and utilities for qualifying members)	$310 a month
UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete NY-S002, H3387-014-002 (Nassau, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk)	HMO-POS D-SNP; full Medicaid	UCard	$126 credit a month	See plan
VNS Health Total	HMO D-SNP	Healthy Extras Card	$318 a month (up to $3,816 a year)	$310 OTC/grocery plus $70 flex
VNS Health EasyCare Plus	HMO D-SNP	Healthy Extras Card	$200 a month (up to $2,400 a year)	$235 plus $37.50 flex
Healthfirst CompleteCare	HMO D-SNP; nursing-home level of care	OTC Plus card	$256 a month	$252 a month
Healthfirst Life Improvement Plan	HMO D-SNP	OTC Plus card	$180 a month	$175 a month
Healthfirst Connection Plan	HMO D-SNP; full Medicaid or Medicare cost-sharing help	OTC Plus card	$45 a month	$55 a month
Healthfirst Increased Benefits Plan	HMO (for people with Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program)	OTC Plus card	$35 a month	$35 a month
Healthfirst 65 Plus Plan	HMO	OTC Plus card	$10 a month ($120 a year)	$25 a month
MetroPlus Advantage Plan and MetroPlus UltraCare	HMO D-SNP	MetroPlusHealth Flex Rewards card	Up to $780 a quarter for healthy foods and OTC items (see note)	See plan
Wellcare by Fidelis Dual Align Unity, H5599-003	D-SNP	Wellcare Spendables card	$165 a month	$242 a month
Wellcare by Fidelis Patriot Simple, H5599-010	Medicare Advantage	Wellcare Spendables card	$35 a month (also covers dental, vision and hearing)	$50 a month

Notes: MetroPlusHealth’s plan page and 2027 broker guide list up to $780 a quarter for the Advantage and UltraCare plans, while its OTC card page says “up to $725 each quarter,” so check the 2027 Summary of Benefits for your plan. Fidelis Care sells several Wellcare by Fidelis plans across New York; ask Fidelis which ones are available in your borough. EmblemHealth’s 2026 VIP Dual Reserve plan in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens had an $80 monthly OTC allowance, but we didn’t find an OTC allowance on EmblemHealth’s 2027 NYC-area plan list, so confirm with EmblemHealth.

Does New York Medicaid give an OTC card?

No. New York Medicaid’s pharmacy program, NYRx, covers certain OTC products only with a prescriber’s order. The New York State Department of Health’s covered list says these are products “members may receive from a pharmacy, with an order from an NYRx enrolled prescriber.” The list includes pain relievers, allergy medicines, cough and cold products, some diabetes supplies, eye drops, nicotine replacement and some vitamins.

Starting April 1, 2025, NYRx stopped covering some OTC items, including Afrin (oxymetazoline), Sudafed PE (phenylephrine), Gas-X, glucose tablets, bacitracin, neomycin and multivitamins for members 21 and older. Mainstream Medicaid managed care plans in NYC, such as Healthfirst, Fidelis Care, MetroPlusHealth, Anthem, EmblemHealth, Molina and UnitedHealthcare, follow NYRx for pharmacy benefits. Healthfirst’s Medicaid plan, for example, lists over-the-counter coverage through NYRx and doesn’t mention an OTC card. For more on what Medicaid plans offer elsewhere, see Medicaid OTC benefits by plan.

One exception that isn’t Medicaid: MetroPlusHealth says its Essential Plan members get a MetroPlusHealth Wellness Card with “$112 every quarter to spend on healthy groceries and over-the-counter (OTC) items.”

Who qualifies for the biggest NYC OTC cards?

Every plan in the table with $150 or more a month is a D-SNP that requires Medicaid. The highest amounts (UnitedHealthcare NY-YL, Healthfirst CompleteCare and MetroPlus UltraCare) also require a need for long-term care. In New York, Medicaid Advantage Plus (MAP) plans combine Medicare, Medicaid and long-term services and supports, while the state describes its IB-Dual program as “for individuals who do not require long term care services and supports.”

Using the card for healthy food or utilities is a separate benefit for members with a qualifying chronic condition. Healthfirst says “To be eligible, you must have a chronic condition such as cardiovascular disorder,” and UnitedHealthcare says that for 2027, “verification of a qualifying chronic condition and more complex health needs will be required” before food and utility purchases are allowed. If you don’t have Medicaid yet, see our New York Medicaid guide for income limits and how to apply.

Where to use an OTC card in NYC

Card	Stores named by the plan	Online
Healthfirst OTC Plus card	Stop & Shop, Duane Reade, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Family Dollar, local independent pharmacies, GrowNYC	Amazon, Walmart.com and Instacart for 2027
MetroPlusHealth Flex Rewards card	“over 3,500 retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Duane Reade, Walgreens, CVS”	Through My Benefits Center
UnitedHealthcare UCard	Walmart, Walgreens, Dollar General, Target and neighborhood stores	Walmart.com (items sold and shipped by Walmart)
VNS Health Healthy Extras Card	Stop & Shop, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Family Dollar and local bodegas and pharmacies	Amazon, Instacart; phone orders through CVS Health
Wellcare Spendables card (Fidelis)	Participating stores	Through the member portal

Your card works only at stores in its network, and only for eligible items. See our hub on what stores accept OTC cards for chain-by-chain details.

How to check your OTC card balance in NYC

Healthfirst: activate at 1-833-684-8472 (24/7), in the Healthfirst NY app or at MyHFNY.org. For balances, text “BAL” to HF4YOU (434968), or use the app or MyHFNY.org. Full details are in our Healthfirst OTC Plus card guide.
MetroPlusHealth: activate at 1-833-963-8764 or mybenefitscenter.com. Funds expire each quarter.
UnitedHealthcare: use the UCard Hub on your member site or the UnitedHealthcare app, or call the number on your UCard. See where to use your UnitedHealthcare OTC card.
VNS Health: check your balance at vnshealthplans.org/account or My Benefits Center.
Wellcare by Fidelis: use the member portal or app, or call the number on the back of the card. See our Wellcare Spendables guide.

Most NYC plans don’t let unused OTC money roll over. Healthfirst, for example, says “the amount does not carry over to future benefit periods.”

How to get an OTC card in New York City

Check your coverage. You need Medicare Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan. For the larger D-SNP cards, you also need Medicaid.
Apply for Medicaid if you may qualify. In NYC, people 65 and older or with a disability apply through the Human Resources Administration (HRA Medicaid Helpline 1-888-692-6116 or ACCESS HRA). Most other people apply through NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777.
Compare 2027 plans. Look at the OTC amount, how often it loads, the store list and whether food is included, then check doctors and drugs.
Enroll during Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7, 2026) for coverage starting January 1, 2027. People with Medicaid have extra chances to change plans during the year.
Activate the card when it arrives in the mail.

Frequently asked questions

Which NYC plan has the biggest OTC card for 2027?

Of the plans we checked, UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete NY-YL has the largest monthly credit at $425, but it requires full Medicaid and Medicaid Advantage Plus eligibility. VNS Health Total ($318 a month) and Healthfirst CompleteCare ($256 a month) follow.

Does NY Medicaid give an OTC card?

No. NYRx covers listed OTC products when an NYRx-enrolled prescriber orders them. OTC allowance cards come from Medicare Advantage plans, not from Medicaid.

Can I use my NYC OTC card for groceries?

Only if your plan covers healthy food and you meet its chronic-condition rules. For 2027, UnitedHealthcare and other plans verify your condition first. SNAP is the main grocery benefit; see does Medicaid give a food card.

Can I use my OTC card at bodegas?

Some cards work at participating neighborhood stores. VNS Health names local bodegas and pharmacies, and UnitedHealthcare names neighborhood stores. Use your plan’s store finder to check a specific shop.

Do I lose my OTC money if I switch plans?

Yes. The allowance belongs to the plan, so any unused balance ends when your coverage with that plan ends. Spend it before your last month in the plan.

This article is general information. Medicare365 is not affiliated with or endorsed by any health plan, the New York State Department of Health, NYC HRA or any U.S. government agency. Benefits vary by plan and county; check the plan’s Evidence of Coverage.