The Cigna Healthy Today card offers Medicare Advantage customers a convenient way to access benefit allowances and incentive rewards. This card functions like a debit card, simplifying the process of paying for eligible items and services. One of its key benefits is a grocery allowance designed to encourage healthy eating habits.
Understanding the Cigna Healthy Today Card
The Cigna Healthy Today Card is exclusively available to Medicare Advantage customers, this card consolidates benefit allowances and incentive rewards into a single, easy-to-use resource. It can be used to purchase covered over-the-counter (OTC) products and, importantly, approved grocery items.
Maximizing Your Grocery Shopping with the Healthy Today Card
Healthy eating begins with informed food choices. Here's how to make the most of your grocery trips while utilizing your Cigna Healthy Today Card:
Planning Ahead
- Menu Planning: Before heading to the store, plan your meals and snacks for the week. Consider the time you have available for meal preparation and select recipes accordingly.
- Inventory Check: Review your pantry and refrigerator to determine which items you already have on hand.
- Shopping List: Create a detailed shopping list based on your menu plan, noting any missing ingredients.
Smart Shopping Strategies
- Avoid Shopping Hungry: Eat a snack or meal before shopping to prevent impulse purchases of unhealthy items.
- Stick to Your List: At the store, adhere to the shopping list you created.
- Outer Aisle Focus: Prioritize the outer aisles of the store, where fresh foods like meat, produce, and dairy are typically located. These items are generally less processed than those found in the center aisles.
- Healthy Swaps: When selecting items, opt for options lower in fat, calories, and sodium whenever possible. For example, choose plain roast turkey or roast beef over processed lunch meats.
- Limit Sugary Drinks: Reduce your intake of drinks with added sugar, such as soda and sweetened iced tea.
- Convenience Foods: Include healthy convenience foods on your shopping list for quick meals and snacks.
- Bulk Buying: Consider buying certain items in bulk, especially if you're shopping for a family. Divide large packs of chicken into single-meal portions and freeze them. However, be mindful of expiration dates when buying in bulk, especially if you're shopping for one.
Approved Food List: What You Can Buy
The Cigna Healthy Today Card can be used to purchase a variety of approved grocery items, promoting a balanced and nutritious diet. Here's a breakdown of eligible food categories:
- Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables are all eligible for purchase. These provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Lean Protein: Lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, beans, and lentils are also eligible. Lean protein is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass.
- Whole Grains: Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and oats are rich in fiber and nutrients, helping you feel full and satisfied.
- Low-Fat Dairy: Low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium and protein, supporting strong bones and teeth.
- Healthy Snacks: Healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds can help you stay on track with your healthy eating goals.
Benefits of Using the Cigna Healthy Today Card for Groceries
For Your Health
The Healthy Today Card encourages healthier food choices by providing a convenient way to purchase approved grocery items. It also helps you track your spending on healthy foods, ensuring you stay on budget and get the nutrients you need. By promoting a healthy diet, the card can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
Read also: Weight Loss with Ozempic and Cigna
For Your Community
The Healthy Today Card supports local businesses by directing your spending towards local retailers when you purchase approved grocery items. This helps boost the economy in your community.
For Your Wallet
The Healthy Today Card can lead to significant savings on groceries. The monthly allowance varies depending on your plan, but it can substantially reduce your grocery expenses. For example, a $100 monthly allowance could save you up to $1,200 per year.
Healthy Eating: Building Sustainable Habits
Healthy eating is not about strict diets or deprivation; it's about balance, variety, and moderation. It involves eating enough to meet your nutritional needs while enjoying a variety of foods. All foods can fit into a healthy eating plan when consumed in moderation.
Making Gradual Changes
If you're aiming to eat healthier, start by making small, manageable changes to your daily habits. Focus on adding healthy foods to your diet rather than solely restricting unhealthy ones.
- Swap It: Replace white rice with brown rice or white bread with whole-grain bread.
- Add It: Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks.
- Plate It: Serve your snacks on a plate instead of eating directly from the package.
Mindful Eating
Pay attention to your body's hunger cues and eat when you're hungry. Choose a variety of foods from each food group and be adventurous in trying new things.
Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.
Overcoming Barriers
Identify potential barriers to healthy eating, such as lack of time, and develop strategies to overcome them.
- Time-Saving Tips: Stock up on ingredients for quick meals, utilize pre-cut vegetables and fruits, and prepare "almost homemade" meals using pre-made components.
Tracking Your Progress
Keep a food journal to monitor your eating habits, track your successes, and identify areas for improvement. Note what you eat at each meal and snack, any challenges you encounter, and any insights you gain.
Seeking Support
Enlist the support of friends and family to help you stay on track with your healthy eating goals.
- Find a Food Buddy: Partner with someone who shares your goals to provide mutual encouragement and accountability.
- Join a Class or Group: Participate in healthy-eating classes or support groups to connect with others and learn new strategies.
- Explore Online Resources: Utilize online forums and chat rooms to connect with others and share experiences.
Additional Resources Available Through Cigna
Beyond the Healthy Today Card, Cigna offers a range of resources to support your health and well-being:
- MDLive: Access board-certified doctors 24/7 via smartphone, tablet, or computer for non-emergency medical problems and prescriptions.
- myCigna.com: Manage your coverage, claims, ID cards, and providers in one convenient online portal.
Understanding Eligible Expenses for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Your Cigna benefits may extend beyond the Healthy Today Card. You can also pay for certain healthcare, vision, and dental costs with an HRA, HSA, or Health Care FSA. Here's a detailed overview of frequently encountered items and their eligibility for reimbursement:
Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run
Important Note: Your employer determines which healthcare expenses are eligible under your HRA.
Reimbursable Expenses
- Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Treatment: Medical expenses paid to a treatment center for alcohol or drug abuse are reimbursable.
- Alternative Providers: Expenses paid to alternative providers are generally not covered unless to treat a specific medical condition.
- Batteries: Expenses for batteries are reimbursable when used for the sole purpose of a covered item (e.g., blood pressure machines, wheelchairs).
- Capital Expenses: Capital expenses for medical care, such as special equipment installed in a home, are reimbursable if their main purpose is medical care.
- Car Modifications: Medical expenses are reimbursable for special hand controls and other equipment installed in a car for a person with disabilities. The amount exceeding the cost of a regular car is also reimbursable.
- Childbirth Classes: Expenses for childbirth classes are reimbursable for the mother-to-be if the classes address specific medical issues.
- Conference Expenses: Amounts paid for admission and transportation to a medical conference relating to a chronic disease are deductible if primarily for and essential to medical care.
- Dental Treatment: Medical expenses for dental treatment are reimbursable, including X-rays, fillings, braces, extractions, and dental implants.
- Doula Services: Expenses paid for a doula whose primary purpose is for delivery of the infant are reimbursable.
- Ear Wax Removal: As of January 1, 2020, a doctor's prescription is no longer needed for reimbursement.
- Electric Toothbrush: Expenses paid for electric toothbrushes are reimbursable when submitted with a medical diagnosis.
- Embryo Storage: Expenses paid for embryo storage are reimbursable.
- Fluoride (Prescribed): Expenses paid for fluoride toothpaste or rinses prescribed to treat a specific medical condition are covered.
- Guide Dog: The cost of a guide dog or other animal used by the visually impaired or hearing impaired is reimbursable.
- Hair Loss Treatments/Rogaine®: Reimbursable when prescribed by a physician for a specific medical condition.
- Herbs: The cost of herbs taken to alleviate a specific medical condition are reimbursable.
- Home Urine Test Kit: Expenses paid for home urine test kits are reimbursable.
- Human Guide: Expenses for a human guide are reimbursable.
- Hypnotherapy: Expenses paid for hypnotherapy are reimbursable when prescribed by a physician to treat a medical condition.
- Impotence or Sexual Inadequacy Treatment: Medical expenses related to the treatment of impotence are reimbursable.
- Infertility Treatment: Medical expenses related to the treatment of infertility are reimbursable, including egg storage, egg donor costs, in-vitro fertilization, and sperm washing.
- Insoles: Expenses paid for insoles are reimbursable.
- Lead-Based Paint Removal: The cost of removing lead-based paint to prevent a child with lead poisoning from eating the paint is reimbursable.
- Learning Disability Support: Tuition payments to a special school for a child with severe learning disabilities and tutoring fees by a specially trained teacher are reimbursable.
- Legal Fees: Legal fees paid to authorize treatment for mental illness are reimbursable.
- Lodging and Meals: The cost of lodging and meals at a hospital are reimbursable if the main reason for being there is to receive medical care. Lodging not provided in a hospital is reimbursable under specific conditions.
- Maintenance Costs: Portion of expense incurred to maintain equipment used to treat a medical condition are reimbursable.
- Mattresses: Mattresses and mattress boards are reimbursable.
- Medicines, Prescribed: Amounts paid for prescribed medicines and drugs are reimbursable.
- Menstrual Care/Feminine Hygiene Products: Effective January 1, 2020, menstrual care products are allowed.
- Nausea Relief Devices: Expenses paid for nausea relief devices such as nausea bands are reimbursable.
- Nursing Home Care: The cost of medical care in a nursing home is reimbursable.
- Nursing Services: Wages and other amounts paid for nursing services are reimbursable.
- Orthodontia: Services are reimbursable; reimbursement can be made once charges have been billed.
- Over-the-Counter Medicines and Drugs: Effective January 1, 2020, expenses are generally reimbursable unless used for general well-being or for purely cosmetic purposes.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Products to prevent/stop the flow of disease are allowed.
- Physical Exams: Physical exams are generally reimbursable, except for employment-related physicals.
- Plane Tickets: Expenses paid for the purchase of a plane ticket for a related hospitalization are reimbursable.
- Pre-Adoption Counseling: This counseling is covered as are all services related to adoption.
- Psychiatric Care: Expenses for psychiatric care are reimbursable.
- Smoking cessation drugs and programs: The cost of drugs…
Non-Reimbursable Expenses
- Age Management Systems (Cenegenics): This is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to age management and includes a set of diagnostics establishing a hormonal, metabolic and physical baseline.
- Breast Augmentation: Expenses related to breast augmentation are not reimbursable because the procedure is cosmetic in nature.
- Clothing: The cost of clothing that substitutes for normal clothing is not deductible.
- COBRA Premiums: COBRA premiums are not reimbursable under a Health FSA.
- Cosmetic Procedures: Medical expenses for cosmetic procedures are reimbursable only if the procedure is necessary to improve a deformity arising from a congenital abnormality, a personal injury, or a disfiguring disease.
- Dancing lessons, swimming lessons, etc.
- Forms Completion: Charges incurred by the member for provider completion of required forms (i.e.
- Household Help: The cost of household help is prohibited.
- Insurance Premiums: Premiums for any health plan are not reimbursable under a Health Care FSA.
- Marriage Counseling: Expenses for marriage counseling services do not qualify as medical expenses.
- Massage: Fees paid for massages are not reimbursable unless to treat a physical disability or illness.
- Medicare Part A: The premium paid for Medicare Part A is not reimbursable under a Health FSA.
- Personal use items: Items that are ordinarily used for personal, living, and family purposes are not reimbursable unless they are used primarily to prevent or alleviate a physical or intellectual disability or illness.
- Remineralization Products: These products add back the minerals that acid has chewed away and are considered part of normal hygiene.
- Savings Club: Dues to join a club that offers discounts on health items is not covered (i.e.