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Medicare Advantage Extra Benefits: Dental, Vision, Hearing, Food and Over-the-Counter Allowances

Some Medicare Advantage plans include extras, but what you get depends on the plan, the county and sometimes your health. Here is what they usually look like in practice and what to ask before you join.

Medicare6 min readReviewed 2026-10-16

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Short answer

Many Medicare Advantage plans include extras that Original Medicare does not, such as dental, vision, hearing, a transportation allowance, or an allowance for over-the-counter items or healthy food. What you actually get depends on the specific plan in your county: how much, how you use it, which stores or providers count, and sometimes whether you have a certain condition or Medicaid. The details are in the plan's Summary of Benefits and Evidence of Coverage, not in an ad.

Use this before you call.

Want to see which plans in your county really include the extras you want? Call GetFastRates.com and a licensed agent will check.

Name the extras that matter to you: dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter items, food, rides.

Ask for the plan's Summary of Benefits and read the page for each extra.

Check whether each extra is for everyone in the plan or only for people with certain conditions or Medicaid.

Look at what limits it: a yearly or monthly amount, certain stores or providers, a time you must use it by.

Make sure your doctors, dentist and pharmacy are in the plan's network.

Call us if you want a side-by-side look at the plans in your county.

What is usually offered

Medicare Advantage plans have to cover what Original Medicare covers, and many add more. Which extras appear differs from plan to plan and county to county.

Dental, vision and hearing, often with limits on how much the plan pays
An allowance for over-the-counter items or healthy food, sometimes on a prepaid card
Help with rides to medical visits
A fitness or wellness benefit
In some plans, a reduction of the Part B premium

What 'extra' really means

An extra is a benefit of that plan, on that plan's terms. It is not a payment from the government and it comes with a plan that also has a network of doctors and rules about care.

Amounts, covered items and stores are set by the plan and can change each year.
Some extras are only for people with certain chronic conditions, or with both Medicare and Medicaid.
Unused amounts often do not carry over.
To get an extra, you generally have to join the plan that offers it.

What to weigh against the extras

An extra is worth having only if the rest of the plan works for you.

Are your doctors and hospitals in the network?
How are your prescriptions covered and what do you pay for them?
What are your costs for doctor visits, hospital stays and specialists?
If you leave Original Medicare, a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy may be hard or impossible to get back later, depending on your state.

Where the truth is written

The plan's Summary of Benefits is a short document that lists what the plan covers and what you pay. The Evidence of Coverage is the full contract. Ask for both before you join, and ask an agent to show you the line for the extra you want.

Common questions about this topic

Does everyone in a plan get the food or over-the-counter card?

Not always. Some plans offer it to everyone in the plan, and some only to people with certain conditions or with Medicaid. Check the Summary of Benefits.

Can I get these extras with Original Medicare?

No. Original Medicare does not include them. They come from some Medicare Advantage plans.

Are extras the same every year?

No. Plans can change the extras, the amounts and the rules each year. Your plan's Annual Notice of Change tells you what is changing.

Tools that can help

Medicare Enrollment Period CalculatorFind your Medicare enrollment window and what it means for your timing.Medicare Part B Late Enrollment Penalty CalculatorEstimate whether a Part B late enrollment penalty could apply to you.Medicare Plan Ending FinderCheck your carrier and ZIP code against current, verified plan-ending records.

Trusted public sources

These links are provided for general public information. They do not replace a personal coverage review.

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