Healthy Food Card: FAQ

You can activate your Healthy Food Card by calling 1-(833)-524-7035, 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. You’ll be asked to provide your 19-digit Healthy Food Card number and your Kaiser Permanente Medical Record Number to activate you card. You can begin using your Healthy Food Card once it’s been activated, but not before your coverage effective or renewal date, starting in 2022. 

• If you are an eligible member enrolled in an Individual Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage plan, you’ll receive a $150 quarterly allowance. 
• If you are an eligible member enrolled in a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), you’ll receive a $300 quarterly allowance. 

If you remain eligible for the benefit, you’ll receive the next quarter’s allowance on the 1st day of each quarter (i.e.,1/1, 4/1, 7/1, and 10/1). 

You must fully use each quarterly Healthy Food Card allowance by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the quarter (i.e., by 11:59 p.m. on 3/31 for the quarter beginning 1/1). Any unused balance on your card at the end of the quarter will not rollover to the following quarter (i.e., “use it or lose it”).

You can purchase a variety of eligible healthy foods from the following categories.

Note: All food items may not be appropriate for all chronic conditions. You should consult your Kaiser Permanente care team or nutritionist if you have dietary questions or concerns. We recommend rinsing canned items to reduce sodium and sugar content, when applicable.

• Baking Staples (includes dry thickeners and flour and cornmeal, including nut and seed flours) (excludes sugar & salt; sugar & salt substitutes allowed)
• Bottled Water (carbonated/uncarbonated/unflavored with no added sugar)
• Dried & Canned Beans
• Dried Pasta
• Electrolyte-rich Sports Drinks (with no added sugar)
• Fresh & Frozen Fruit (with no added sugar)
• Fresh & Frozen Vegetables
• Fresh Lean Meats & Poultry
• Fresh Seafood (including frozen)
• Herbs & Spices
• Hot & Cold Cereals (high fiber with low or no added sugar)
• Margarine  (with no hydrogenated oil)
• Meal Replacement Liquids (balanced, nutrient dense)
• Milk, Cheese, & Yogurt (low/nonfat)
• Nuts & Seeds
• Oils & Cooking Sprays
• Peanut & Other Nut Butters
• Rice & Whole Grains
• Soy, Almond & Other Nut Milks
• Tomato Sauce & Paste
• Whole Eggs & Egg Substitutes
• Whole Grain Bread & Crackers

You can use your Healthy Food Card to purchase eligible foods from participating retailers such as Kroger, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Food Lion. A full list of participating retailers can be found on www.otcnetwork.com.

No. Your Healthy Food Card can only be used to purchase eligible food items from participating retailers. You cannot use your Healthy Food Card to pay for Kaiser Permanente medical services or prescription drugs.

Before using your Healthy Food Card, you should verify that you are shopping at a participating retailer, confirm there is a balance available on your card, and ensure your groceries are comprised (either in whole or in part) of eligible food items.

At checkout, you should use your Healthy Food Card as your first form of payment. Eligible products will automatically be deducted from the total, up to the available balance. You will have to pay for any remaining balance with another form of payment.

You should follow the applicable return or exchange policies established by each participating retailer which may allow product exchanges or store credit in the form of gift cards or vouchers.

No. You cannot be reimbursed for healthy food purchases made with any other form of payment. Only purchases of eligible healthy foods, at participating retailers, using your Kaiser Permanente issued Healthy Food Card are covered by the benefit.

• You can self-serve via the member portal at www.otcnetwork.com or the OTC Network mobile app to address many common Healthy Food Card inquiries such as obtaining your card balance, locating participating retailers, and searching for eligible items. 
• For benefit-related inquiries such as benefit coverage, overview of how the benefit works or question/comments on how it’s administered, please call the Kaiser Permanente Member Services Contact Center at 1-(800)-232-4404, 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. 
• For account-related inquiries and issues such as card activation, lost or stolen cards, or retailer customer service, please call the OTC Network at 1-(833)-524-7035, 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.