Transportation for grocery shopping: how the non-medical ride benefit works under SSBCI

Introduction

If getting to the grocery store is hard because you do not drive, cannot safely use public transit, or need extra support, a Medicare Advantage plan may be able to help. Some plans offer non-medical transportation as a Special Supplemental Benefit for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI), which can include rides for grocery shopping when you qualify.

This guide explains what SSBCI grocery transportation is, how eligibility is decided, what the ride benefit typically looks like, and how to request it in a practical, step-by-step way.

What this guide covers

• What SSBCI is and how it can include grocery transportation
• Who may qualify (and why it varies by plan)
• How the ride benefit usually works, including common limits
• How to request rides and what to do if you are told “no”
• Tips to make rides safer and easier for you and your caregiver

What SSBCI is and why grocery transportation can qualify

SSBCI is a category of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits designed for certain members with complex chronic conditions. SSBCI is different from standard “extras” because it can be offered only to eligible members and can include benefits that are not primarily health related, as long as the plan can reasonably expect the benefit will help maintain or improve your health or overall function.

Grocery rides are explicitly included as an SSBCI example

CMS guidance specifically lists “Transportation for Non-Medical Needs” as an example of an SSBCI benefit and notes that it can include transportation to obtain non-medical items and services, such as grocery shopping and banking. Plans may provide these rides by arranging them, providing them directly, or reimbursing them, depending on how the plan designed the benefit.

“Non-medical” does not mean “anything goes”

Even when a benefit is not primarily health related, SSBCI still has guardrails. Plans are expected to support the benefit with evidence and define who qualifies using objective criteria. In practice, this means:

• Your plan decides what counts as an approved trip.
• Your plan decides how many rides you can get and how the rides are delivered.
• Your plan may ask you to use a specific transportation vendor or process.

Who may qualify for a grocery ride benefit under SSBCI

SSBCI is not automatically available just because you have a chronic condition. A plan must determine that you meet the definition of a “chronically ill enrollee” and that you meet the plan’s additional criteria for the specific SSBCI benefit.

The baseline definition of “chronically ill enrollee”

Federal rules define a chronically ill enrollee (for SSBCI) as someone who meets all three of these:

• Has one or more medically complex chronic conditions that are life threatening or significantly limit overall health or function
• Has a high risk of hospitalization or other adverse health outcomes
• Requires intensive care coordination

Eligibility rules are plan-specific and must be objective

Your plan must have written policies and objective criteria for determining who can receive a particular SSBCI benefit. Two people in the same plan can have different SSBCI benefits, depending on needs and eligibility criteria.

Plans can consider social factors (for example, difficulty getting food or transportation) as part of identifying who might benefit, but they generally cannot use social factors as the only reason to grant SSBCI eligibility.

How the grocery transportation benefit usually works

Every Medicare Advantage plan sets its own benefit details, so your exact rules may be different. These are common patterns you may see.

What the ride benefit can look like

Depending on your plan, non-medical transportation for grocery shopping may be delivered as:

• Scheduled rides through a transportation vendor (car, taxi, van, or rideshare arranged by the plan)
• Vouchers or codes (for example, taxi vouchers)
• Reimbursement after you pay (less common, but allowed in some designs)
• A spending allowance card that can pay for certain approved transportation expenses, if your plan offers it

Scheduling rules and lead time

Many plans require advance scheduling. Common expectations include:

• Calling a dedicated transportation line
• Booking at least 24 to 72 hours ahead (sometimes longer)
• Confirming your pickup and return trip details
• Following plan rules about where the driver can pick you up and drop you off

Costs and copays

Some plans offer SSBCI rides at no cost, while others may have a small copay or limit the number of rides. Your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) or plan benefits summary should describe the cost-sharing rules for supplemental benefits.

Common limits and exclusions

Even when grocery rides are covered, plans often set boundaries such as:

• A maximum number of one-way trips per month or per quarter
• A maximum mileage radius from your home
• Approved destinations only (specific grocery stores, pharmacies, or retailers)
• No emergency transport (SSBCI transportation is not an ambulance benefit)
• No cash reimbursement unless the plan explicitly allows reimbursement
• Requirements for caregiver accompaniment, depending on your needs and local vendor options
• Accessibility limits based on what vehicles are available (for example, wheelchair-accessible vans may require extra lead time)

Step-by-step: how to request SSBCI rides for grocery shopping

If you want to use a non-medical ride benefit for groceries, these steps help you get a clear answer faster.

Step 1: Find the right benefits language

Look for terms like:

• “SSBCI”
• “Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill”
• “Transportation for non-medical needs”
• “Non-medical transportation”
• “Transportation allowance” (if your plan uses a spending card)

If you cannot find it, that does not always mean it is unavailable. Some plans administer SSBCI through care management rather than listing every detail in a simple summary.

Step 2: Call the plan and ask the most specific question

When you call Member Services, try language like:

• “Do I have SSBCI transportation for non-medical needs, including grocery shopping?”
• “What are the eligibility requirements for me to receive SSBCI non-medical transportation?”
• “How many one-way trips are available, and what destinations are approved?”
• “Do I need a care manager assessment or authorization before rides are scheduled?”

Write down:

• The date and time you called
• The name or ID of the representative
• Exactly what they said you need to do next

Step 3: If the plan says you might qualify, ask what documentation they need

Plans may use different processes, such as:

• A care management screening
• Documentation of your chronic conditions
• Confirmation that you meet plan criteria related to risk and care coordination needs

If you have a clinician or care manager, it can help to ask them to document functional barriers like difficulty walking long distances, unsafe driving risk, vision impairment, or post-hospital recovery limitations, if those apply to you.

Step 4: If you are denied, ask for the reason and the appeal options

A denial may happen because:

• Your plan does not offer SSBCI transportation
• Your plan offers it, but you are not eligible under the plan’s objective criteria
• The plan offers it, but grocery destinations are not included in your plan’s version of the benefit
• The ride request did not follow the required scheduling process

Ask:

• “Can you explain which eligibility criteria I did not meet?”
• “Is there a reassessment process through care management?”
• “Is there an appeal process for supplemental benefit eligibility decisions in this plan?”

Making grocery trips safer and easier

Transportation barriers can affect health, especially for older adults and people living with chronic disease. Research on transportation interventions shows they can reduce missed appointments, and it also highlights that many older adults do not drive and may face barriers to everyday needs like shopping.

Practical steps can make your ride benefit work better for you.

Plan for a smoother trip

• Schedule for daylight hours when possible.
• Make a simple list before you go, so you are not stuck in the store longer than necessary.
• Bring a reusable bag with your essentials: phone, charger, water, snacks (if needed), and a list of medications.
• Ask the plan or vendor about driver assistance policies if you need help with stairs, walkers, or carrying bags.

Make the return trip clear

Before you leave home, confirm:

• Whether the driver waits or you need a separate return trip reservation
• The return pickup location at the store
• What happens if you are running late

Consider combining ride benefits with food benefits

Some Medicare Advantage plans also offer food and produce benefits under SSBCI. If your plan offers both, you can sometimes coordinate:

• Grocery transportation (to get to the store)
• A food allowance or approved food support benefit (to pay for eligible items)
• Home-delivered meals (when offered and when you qualify)

If you want help understanding grocery-related benefits, these Understood Care resources can help:

• Accessible Transportation Assistance
• Can you use a Medicare flex card for grocery delivery
• Deep, plan-by-plan comparisons of grocery benefits
• How does a Medicare flex card pay for groceries, OTC, and utilities

When SSBCI grocery rides are not enough

If your plan does not offer SSBCI non-medical transportation, or if you do not qualify, you still may have options depending on your location and coverage.

Other transportation options to ask about

• Your plan’s standard transportation benefit for medical appointments (this is different from grocery rides)
• Local paratransit services (often run by city or county transit agencies)
• Community senior transportation programs
• Grocery delivery options (sometimes supported by plan food benefits)

How Understood Care can help

If you are trying to figure out whether your Medicare Advantage plan covers grocery rides under SSBCI, it often helps to have someone who can:

• Review your plan documents with you
• Call Member Services with you (or help you prepare exactly what to ask)
• Coordinate with care management if an assessment is required
• Help you set up transportation that matches your mobility and safety needs

Learn more about transportation support here: Transportation Help‍

FAQ

• Does Medicare cover rides to the grocery store under SSBCI?
  Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover non-medical transportation for grocery shopping as an SSBCI benefit if you qualify. It is plan-specific.
• What does SSBCI mean in Medicare Advantage?
  SSBCI stands for Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill. These are extra benefits a Medicare Advantage plan can offer to eligible members with complex chronic conditions.
• How do I qualify for SSBCI non-medical transportation benefits?
  You must meet the plan’s definition of a chronically ill enrollee and the plan’s objective eligibility criteria for that specific SSBCI benefit.
• How many SSBCI grocery transportation rides can I get each month?
  Limits vary by plan. Some plans set a number of one-way trips, others set a dollar allowance, and some use both.
• Can a Medicare flex card pay for grocery transportation under SSBCI?
  Some plans use a spending allowance card for SSBCI items and services, which may include non-medical transportation. Your plan must specifically allow it.
• Is SSBCI non-medical transportation the same as rides to doctor appointments?
  No. Many plans separate medical appointment transportation from SSBCI non-medical transportation. They can have different rules, vendors, and eligibility.
• What should I do if my plan says SSBCI transportation is not available?
  Ask whether the plan offers SSBCI at all, whether you need a care management assessment, and what the appeal or reassessment process is for SSBCI eligibility.

References

• https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-plans/healthplansgeninfo/downloads/supplemental_benefits_chronically_ill_hpms_042419.pdf Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• https://www.govinfo.gov/link/cfr/42/422?link-type=pdf&sectionnum=103&year=mostrecent GovInfo
• https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/reference.nsf/links/01252024104913AM Social Security Administration
• https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/contract-year-2025-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-final-rule-cms-4205-f Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-04-23/html/2024-07105.htm GovInfo
• https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/83039/cdc_83039_DS1.pdf CDC Stacks
• https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12889-022-13149-1.pdf bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com

This information is for general education and does not replace medical advice from your own clinicians or care team. If you are considering PACE or have questions about PACE program food benefits, talk directly with your local PACE organization or a trusted advocate.