Medicare OTC Benefit: Allergy Products for Every Season
Allergy Relief with OTC Benefits
Seasonal and year-round allergies affect millions of seniors. Your Medicare Advantage OTC benefit covers the same allergy products you'd buy at full price — completely free.
Covered Allergy Products
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec) — 24-hour non-drowsy antihistamine
- Loratadine (Claritin) — 24-hour non-drowsy, widely available
- Fexofenadine (Allegra) — 24-hour, least likely to cause drowsiness
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) — fast-acting but may cause drowsiness
- Fluticasone nasal spray (Flonase) — steroid nasal spray for congestion
- Allergy eye drops — ketotifen (Zaditor) for itchy eyes
- Saline nasal rinse — NeilMed sinus rinse kit
Seasonal Strategy
Spring allergies (pollen) peak March-May. Start antihistamines 2 weeks before your typical allergy season for best results. Use your Q2 OTC allowance to stock up on allergy products — it aligns perfectly with spring allergy season.
Best Value: Generic store-brand antihistamines contain the same active ingredients as name brands at a lower price. Ask your pharmacist to compare — your allowance goes further with generics.