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What Is a Medicare Flex Card?
Prepaid cards can cover nonmedical expenses, but not everyone can get them
Jon Krause
Key takeaways
- Prepaid debit cards offered only in Medicare Advantage.
- Flex cards are used to pay for MA supplemental benefits.
- Be mindful of flex card scams when choosing coverage.
They’re called Medicare flex cards, but these prepaid debit cards are issued by Medicare Advantage plans, not the U.S. government. And they’re offered only by some — but not most — Medicare Advantage plans.
Flex cards, or flexible spending cards, are different than your Medicare card or health insurance card from Medicare Advantage, Medigap or other health plans.
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For eligible enrollees, flex cards help pay for expenses and specific supplemental benefits offered by MA plans, such as utility bill assistance, pest control, certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications or a grocery allowance for healthy food purchases. They typically contain quarterly or annual allowances for benefits and can be used at participating stores and retailers.
Flex cards pay for supplemental benefits
Flex cards may also be used to help pay for copayments for other supplemental benefits like dental, hearing and vision care, which aren’t available in original Medicare.
In 2025, 48 percent of MA plans, more than 2,700, offered a flex card to cover any supplemental benefit, including dental care and OTC products, according to research by ATI Advisory, a health care research and consulting firm in Washington, D.C., and the SCAN Foundation, an independent public charity in Long Beach, California.
Thirty percent of MA plans, nearly 1,700, offered flex cards in 2025 that covered least one nonmedical supplemental benefit, like rent and utility assistance. That’s up from up from 1,280 plans, or 22 percent, in 2024. Flex cards that helped cover least one nonmedical benefit had an average annual dollar amount of $1,430 in 2025, compared with $1,299 in 2024.
Most MA special needs plans offer flex cards
Flex cards for nonmedical benefits are offered most frequently through Medicare Advantage special needs plans (SNPs), which provide coverage tailored to beneficiaries with chronic conditions or dual eligibility for Medicaid.
In fact, 91 percent of MA special needs plans for dual eligible beneficiaries and 78 percent of SNPs for those with chronic conditions offered flex cards in 2025, compared with 9 percent of general MA plans, the ATI Advisory and SCAN research found.
Medicare Advantage plans began offering chronically ill patients special supplemental benefits that aren’t directly tied to medicine, such as food and produce, meal delivery and nonmedical transportation, in 2020.
But you need to qualify for these benefits. They’re not available to all members.
What can I use a Medicare flex card for?
More than 9 of 10 flex cards that covered nonmedical benefits in 2025 paid for food and produce, while 75 percent covered general supports for living, like rent and utility assistance, the ATI Advisory and SCAN research says. Forty-six percent covered nonmedical transportation and 19 percent covered pest control, while 15 percent paid for air-quality items like humidifiers.
Some MA plans use flex cards to cover copayments or certain eligible expenses with an annual dollar limit, such as $225 for eyeglasses and contact lenses.
How does a Medicare flex card work?
Like prepaid debit cards, flex cards are loaded with a predetermined amount to cover expenses within a specified time. But they also come with rules on what the money can be used for.
You may be able to use your flex card for OTC medications at certain pharmacies, for eyeglasses and contact lenses at select optical centers or for copays with in-network dentists. Find out from your plan about requirements for using the card.
If you receive a quarterly allowance for OTC medicine and other drugstore items — say, $50 a quarter — scan the flex card at checkout; the money will automatically be applied to eligible items. Some flex cards work with online purchases too.
Watch out for scams when choosing a plan
The flex card is one of many benefits to consider when deciding between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. When choosing a Medicare Advantage plan, compare how the plan covers your regular medical expenses and medications, as well as its coverage for major medical issues. And find out whether the plan’s provider network covers the doctors and hospitals you want to use.
Beware of flex card scams — if someone claims to be from Medicare offering one of these cards. It could be an ID thief trying to steal your personal information.
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