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UnitedHealthcare UCard in Texas 2027: OTC Credits, Stores and Balance

By Brian Monahan Updated October 22, 2026

Reviewed October 22, 2026. The UnitedHealthcare UCard is the benefits card for many UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members in Texas, including UHC Dual Complete plans for people with both Medicare and Medicaid. For 2027, UnitedHealthcare’s Texas plan pages list monthly credits for OTC items, plus healthy food and utilities for members who qualify, ranging from $27 a month to $265 a month in the plans we checked.

Quick answer: Use your UCard at participating stores such as Walmart, Walgreens, Dollar General and Target, or online through the UCard Hub. Check your balance in the UnitedHealthcare app or the UCard Hub on your member site. Starting in 2027, UnitedHealthcare says many members will get two cards: a member ID card and a separate UCard. Benefits vary by plan and county, so check your plan’s Evidence of Coverage.

Call here to get information about the United Healthcare Ucard

United Healthcare Member Services: 1-888-887-9003
Available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.

UHC UCard credits in Texas: 2026 vs 2027 examples

These amounts come from UnitedHealthcare’s own Texas plan pages. Each credit covers OTC items, and healthy food and utilities only for members with a qualifying chronic condition who meet plan criteria.

UHC plan (Texas service area)	2026 monthly credit	2027 monthly credit
UHC Dual Complete TX-S001 (Regional PPO D-SNP), counties including Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Travis	$37	$27
UHC Dual Complete TX-Y1 (HMO-POS D-SNP), Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Hidalgo	Not reviewed	$265
UHC Dual Complete TX-S4 (HMO-POS D-SNP), Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Nueces and San Patricio	Not reviewed	$258

Sources: UnitedHealthcare plan pages for 2027 TX-S001, 2026 TX-S001, 2027 TX-Y1 and 2027 TX-S4, checked October 22, 2026.

Two things to note for 2027. First, UnitedHealthcare’s TX-S001 page says that starting January 1, 2027, the plan will only accept members in counties that don’t have the UHC STAR+PLUS plan. Second, the OTC, food and utility benefits “have expiration timeframes,” so unused credits don’t last forever.

How the UCard works in Texas

UnitedHealthcare says credits load to your UCard monthly or quarterly depending on your benefit type: OTC-only credits load quarterly, while OTC plus healthy food (and utilities) credits load monthly (UHC: food, OTC and utility bill credit). You can use it for:

OTC products: cold, flu and allergy; digestive health; first aid; incontinence; oral care; pain relief; smoking cessation; vitamins and minerals.
Healthy food, if you qualify: bread and grains, dairy and eggs, fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood, pantry items, and water, coffee, tea and juice.
Utilities, if you qualify: electric, heat, home phone, internet, natural gas, sanitation, sewer and water.

The card can’t be used for cash or at ATMs. UnitedHealthcare also notes that using the benefit for certain utilities may count as income for housing assistance, so check with your housing authority.

Who qualifies for the food and utilities part?

UnitedHealthcare’s Texas plan pages say the healthy food and utilities benefit is a special supplemental benefit only for chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure, chronic high blood pressure or chronic high cholesterol, who also meet criteria showing they’re at high risk for hospitalization and eligible for intensive care coordination. For 2027, UnitedHealthcare says verification of a qualifying chronic condition and more complex health needs will be required, and if you change carriers you’ll need to be verified again.

Read more in our guide to the UnitedHealthcare healthy food card.

Where can you use the UCard in Texas?

UnitedHealthcare says the UCard works at more than 70,000 participating stores nationwide, including Walmart, Walgreens, Dollar General and Target. Use the Store Finder in the UCard Hub to check a specific Texas store before you go. To shop online, sign in to your member site or the UnitedHealthcare app and open the UCard Hub.

You can pay eligible utility bills directly with providers that accept Mastercard and are set up as eligible, online through the Bill Pay network on your member site or app, or in person at a Walmart MoneyCenter.

For store-by-store details, see where you can use your UnitedHealthcare OTC card and our Walmart OTC card guide.

How to check your UCard balance

Open the UnitedHealthcare app and go to the UCard Hub.
Sign in to your member site and visit the UCard Hub to check benefit and rewards balances.
Call the Member Services number on your member ID card. On UnitedHealthcare’s 2027 TX-Y1 plan page, for example, the member line is 1-866-944-4983 (TTY 711).

Our OTC card balance guide covers other carriers.

The UCard catalog

UnitedHealthcare uses the UCard Hub and the app’s product scanner to show which items are eligible, rather than a single printed list for every plan. See our UHC OTC catalog guide for how to view eligible products.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the UHC UCard credit in Texas for 2027?

It depends on the plan. In the UnitedHealthcare Texas plans we checked, 2027 monthly credits were $27 (TX-S001), $258 (TX-S4) and $265 (TX-Y1).

Will I get a new UCard for 2027?

UnitedHealthcare says that starting in 2027, membership will come with two cards: a member ID card and a UCard. Members of certain group plans keep the UCard as their member ID.

Can I buy groceries with my UCard in Texas?

Only if your plan includes the healthy food benefit and you meet its chronic-condition rules. OTC-only credits can’t be used for groceries.

How do I activate my UCard?

UnitedHealthcare says you can activate it online at activate.uhc.com or in the UnitedHealthcare app.

What should I do if my UCard is lost or stolen?

Call the Member Services number in your plan documents right away to report it and request a replacement.

Can I use my UCard online?

Yes, for eligible items through the UCard Hub on your member site or in the UnitedHealthcare app.

This article is general information, not individual insurance advice. Benefits vary by plan and county; check your plan’s Summary of Benefits and Evidence of Coverage. Medicare365 is not affiliated with UnitedHealthcare or with the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.