Millions of Americans receive grocery and health benefits they can spend at retail. Now, FlexRetail helps your store accept them.
What Are OTC and Grocery Benefits?
Many Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid programs, and employer health plans provide members with funds specifically designated for over-the-counter (OTC) health products and groceries. These funds are pre-loaded onto a flex, spendable, or OTC benefit card, similar in function to a debit card, and can be used at participating retailers.
The shopper swipes their card at checkout, and eligible items are automatically covered. No reimbursement forms, no waiting, no hassle.
What Can Shoppers Buy with OTC Benefit Cards?
Approved items vary by plan tier and local guidelines, but commonly include:
- OTC Medications: Pain relievers, allergy support, digestive aids, vitamins, and first aid supplies.
- Eligible Foods: Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, and pantry staples.
Major insurers and retailers including UnitedHealthcare, SCAN Health Plan, and CVS have built these benefit programs specifically to help members access everyday health and grocery essentials at the stores they already shop at.
Why FlexRetail Supports OTC Benefits
Independent grocers and specialty retailers serve communities where these benefits matter most. Many of your shoppers are seniors, Medicaid recipients, or employees with employer-sponsored health plans who rely on their OTC benefit cards to stretch their budgets on essentials. If your store cannot accept those cards, you are not just losing a transaction; you are losing a customer who may shop elsewhere every week.
FlexRetail was built to make independent grocery operators competitive with the big chains, and accepting OTC benefits is a key part of that. National retailers like Kroger and ShopRite already participate in these programs. FlexRetail ensures your store can too.
How It Works at the Register
With FlexRetail’s OTC benefit card support, eligible items are recognized at the point of sale and processed through the appropriate benefit program. Checkout stays fast and simple for your staff and your shoppers, with no separate process or manual overrides needed for covered items.
Ready to Learn More?
If you are a current FlexRetail customer and want to enable OTC benefit card acceptance, or if you are evaluating FlexRetail for your store, contact us today to get started.