March 13th 2026
By Ari Parker
OTC delivery makes using your Medicare Advantage OTC benefit much easier! Simply order eligible OTC items online or by phone, and they arrive at your front door.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan with OTC benefits, you already know the basics: you get a set amount of money loaded onto a card to spend on health and wellness products each month or quarter. Pain relievers, vitamins, first aid supplies, cold medicine. The list is long.
What a lot of people don't realize is that you don't have to go to the store to use your OTC benefit.
Most Medicare Advantage OTC benefits can be redeemed online and shipped directly to your home—for free. No driving. No hunting through aisles. No awkward moment at checkout when you're not sure if something qualifies.
This guide explains exactly how OTC delivery works, which plans support it, and the easiest way to actually use it.
You can get OTC benefits delivered free to your home.
Unused credits expire at the end of each benefit period. Benefit periods are usually each month, every three months, or every six months.
Most major plans (UHC, Humana, Aetna, Anthem, etc.) support home delivery.
MyOTC.com works across carriers as a one-stop shop with a simple experience and free delivery.
OTC delivery is exactly what it sounds like: you order eligible OTC items online or by phone, and they arrive at your front door—usually within a week, at no additional cost to you.
Most major Medicare Advantage insurers partner with third-party fulfillment companies to make this possible. MyOTC.com also provides a free online shopping experience for most top carriers. (For what it’s worth, most people prefer the My OTC shopping experience because it’s streamlined and easy.) For both of these options, your OTC allowance gets applied at checkout, so you pay nothing out of pocket for approved items.
OTC allowances exist specifically to make it easier to stock up on everyday health essentials. Yet, an estimated $5 billion in OTC benefits go unused every year. Why? People often don't know they have a benefit, are unsure how to use it, or don’t really know what they can get with OTC.
Most Medicare Advantage plans that include OTC benefits also allow home delivery. This includes plans from major carriers like UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Anthem, Aetna, Cigna, and Wellcare.
Here's a quick breakdown of how delivery works across some of the most common carriers. Though, it’s worth noting that each of these carriers’ OTC benefits can be redeemed on MyOTC.com.
UnitedHealthcare (UCard): UHC members can order through the UHC app or website.
Humana: Humana OTC orders can be placed through CenterWell Pharmacy online. Items are shipped directly to your home.
Anthem: Anthem partners with NationsBenefits for OTC delivery. Members can order online, by phone, or by mail. Note that the Anthem Benefits Prepaid Card is not accepted at online retailers like Walmart.com. Delivery orders must go through the NationsBenefits portal.
Aetna: Aetna members can order through the NationsOTC app.
CVS Health Plans: CVS uses its OTC Health Solutions (OTCHS) program. Members can log into the OTCHS portal or use the app to place orders.
If you're not sure whether your plan supports delivery, log in to your plan's member portal or call the member services number on the back of your card.
Eligible items vary by plan, but most OTC delivery catalogs include:
Over-the-counter medications (pain relievers, cold and flu remedies, allergy medicine, antacids)
Vitamins and supplements
First aid supplies (bandages, wound care, antiseptics)
Personal care items (dental care, incontinence supplies, cotton swabs)
Health aids (blood pressure monitors, thermometers, compression socks, pill organizers)
Eye and ear care products
Sleep aids and digestive health products
One thing to keep in mind: only certain brands and quantities are included in your plan's catalog. When you shop through your carrier's portal or MyOTC.com, you'll only see items you're actually eligible to order. This helps you avoid confusion about what is and is not covered.
The exact steps depend on your insurance carrier, but the general process looks like this:
Log in to your plan's member portal: (or use a third-party app, like My OTC by Chapter, that works across carriers)
Browse your eligible OTC catalog: only items covered by your plan will appear
Add items to your cart: and check out as you would on any online shopping site
Your OTC allowance is applied automatically: you pay $0 for covered items
Items are delivered to your door: shipping times vary by carrier, but items typically within 5–7 business days
You can also order by phone if you prefer. Call the number on the back of your OTC card or the fulfillment partner listed in your plan documents.
Not using them.
OTC credits don't roll over. If your plan reloads monthly, any unused balance disappears at the end of the month. If it reloads quarterly, same thing—unused credits are gone when the quarter ends.
This is the main reason that billions of OTC dollars go to waste every year. Life gets busy. The stores feel like a hassle. You forget the card at home. None of that applies when you're ordering from your couch.
Setting a monthly reminder to place your OTC order takes about 30 seconds to do and could save you hundreds of dollars per year on health products you'd be buying anyway. My OTC by Chapter has a simple reminder feature that you can turn off or on to make sure you never miss a benefit period.
One of the most common frustrations we hear from members is that each insurance carrier has its own portal, its own app, its own rules. If you switch plans during Annual Enrollment, you're starting over from scratch.
That's why we built My OTC by Chapter. It’s one place that you can go to use OTC benefits—kind of like the FSA store, but for OTC. The app works with most major Medicare Advantage plans, regardless of your carrier. You can browse your eligible catalog, place delivery orders, check your balance, and set reminders so you never let benefits expire.
It works whether you're on UHC, Humana, Aetna, Anthem, or another major plan. And if you switch plans next year, you keep using the same app.
Is OTC delivery really free? Yes. Most plans cover shipping costs on OTC delivery orders. Your only "cost" is your OTC allowance, which is already included in your plan.
How long does delivery take? Most orders arrive within 5–7 business days from when the order is placed.
Do my OTC benefits cover prescriptions? No. OTC benefits cover over-the-counter products only. Prescription coverage is handled separately through Part D drug coverage.
Your Medicare Advantage OTC benefit is money that's already yours, and home delivery makes it easier than ever to use it. No store trip required.
If you haven't been using your OTC benefits because it felt complicated, now you know: it doesn't have to be. Go to MyOTC.com, order what you need, and let it come to you.
