Alignment Health OTC Benefit: Card, Allowance and How to Check Your Balance
Reviewed October 8, 2026. Alignment Health Plan’s over-the-counter (OTC) benefit is a spending allowance that comes with some, but not all, of its Medicare Advantage plans. Members use the ACCESS On-Demand Concierge card, a debit-style card, to buy eligible OTC items, and some plans add a separate grocery allowance for members with qualifying chronic conditions. The amount, how often it loads and whether it’s included at all depend on your specific plan.
Quick answer: Check your plan’s Summary of Benefits for an “Over-the-counter (OTC)” line. If it shows an allowance, it loads to your ACCESS On-Demand Concierge card and generally doesn’t roll over. For balance questions, call Alignment Health Plan Member Services at 1-866-634-2247 (TTY 711).
How the Alignment Health OTC benefit works
Alignment Health describes the ACCESS On-Demand Concierge card as a card members of select plans can use like a debit card to buy eligible over-the-counter items at more than 65,000 stores nationwide (Alignment Health: ACCESS On-Demand Concierge). The same program also gives members 24/7 concierge member services.
Here’s an example from one 2026 plan’s Summary of Benefits, to show how different plans can be:
| 2026 Alignment plan (Nevada example) | OTC allowance | Grocery allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum + Instacart (HMO) 007 | $25 every month, no rollover | $100 every three months, no rollover, at Instacart, for members with qualifying chronic conditions |
| SmartHMO (HMO) 008 | Not covered | Not covered |
Source: Alignment Health Plan 2026 Summary of Benefits, H5296-007/008. Amounts in your plan may be different, so always check your own plan documents.
What can you buy with the OTC allowance?
OTC benefits in Medicare Advantage cover health-related items you can buy without a prescription. Typical categories include:
- Pain relievers and cold and allergy medicine
- First aid supplies
- Vitamins and dental care items
- Personal care and incontinence products
Your plan decides which specific items are eligible. If an item isn’t covered, the purchase is declined or you pay the difference with another form of payment. For a broader look at how these allowances work across insurers, see our Medicare OTC card guide.
Does Alignment Health have a food or grocery card?
Some Alignment plans include a grocery allowance, but it isn’t available to every member. In the 2026 example above, the grocery allowance is a benefit for members with qualifying chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, chronic lung disorders, dementia, diabetes and stroke, with qualification established through medical records.
That matches federal rules. Grocery help in Medicare Advantage is usually a Special Supplemental Benefit for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI), which plans may offer only to eligible chronically ill members (CMS CY 2025 final rule fact sheet). Learn more in our guide to the Medicare food and grocery allowance.
How to check your Alignment OTC balance
- Call Member Services: 1-866-634-2247 (TTY 711). From October 1 through March 31, lines are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). From April 1 through September 30, they’re open Monday through Friday.
- Use the member portal: Sign in at alignmenthealthplan.com to view your plan benefits and member ID card.
- Check the back of your card for any card-specific phone number or website.
Because allowances generally don’t roll over, check your balance before each period ends. Our OTC card balance guide covers other plans too.
OTC benefits in 2027
Plans can change their extra benefits every year. Your Annual Notice of Change, mailed by September 30, shows any changes to your OTC or grocery allowance for 2027. CMS has also finalized rules for 2027 requiring supplemental-benefit debit cards to be electronically linked to plan-covered items and limited to the specific plan year, and requiring plans to publicly post their SSBCI eligibility criteria (CMS CY 2027 final rule fact sheet).
If you want to compare OTC allowances across insurers, you can switch plans during Medicare Open Enrollment from October 15 to December 7. Our list of Medicare Advantage plans with OTC benefits explains what to compare.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Alignment Health plans include an OTC allowance?
No. Some plans include one and others don’t. Check the “Over-the-counter (OTC)” line in your plan’s Summary of Benefits.
Does the Alignment OTC allowance roll over?
In the 2026 plan documents we reviewed, the allowance had no rollover. Unused money is lost at the end of each period, so check your own plan’s rules.
Can I buy groceries with my Alignment OTC allowance?
Not with the OTC allowance itself. Some plans offer a separate grocery allowance for members with qualifying chronic conditions.
What is the Alignment Health Plan Member Services number?
Members can call 1-866-634-2247 (TTY 711).
Is the ACCESS On-Demand Concierge card a credit card?
No. It works like a prepaid debit card loaded with your plan’s allowance, and it can only be used for eligible items.
This article is general information, not individual insurance advice. Medicare365 is not affiliated with Alignment Health or with the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.