GOUVERNEUR — Kinney Drugs, a 100% employee-owned pharmacy chain in New York and Vermont, is now part of the OTC Network. Certain health plans offer restricted-spend wellness programs powered by the OTC Network. Most participating plans are Medicare or Medicaid plans. These plans provide OTC Network payment cards and/or digital barcodes to their members for the purchase of a wide array of retail products.

The cards are preloaded with a predetermined dollar amount which varies by plan and the funds can only be used to purchase eligible items. More than 1.4 million products are eligible for purchase, including over-the-counter medicines, health and wellness products, and in some cases healthy foods. Product eligibility varies by health plan. Customers do not need to get prescriptions filled by Kinney Drugs to use their OTC Network benefits. 

If consumers are unsure if their health plan participates in the OTC Network, they can refer to their provider or their health benefits card. Card designs vary by plan and program, but all will contain a brand mark.

The OTC Network also offers a mobile application that allows users to check their account balances and quickly scan items in-store to determine if they are eligible for payment via the OTC Network. Additional information about the OTC Network can be found at www.kinneydrugs.com/pharmacy/insurance-information. 

“We are very excited that Kinney is now participating in the OTC Network, as it provides a valuable benefit to thousands of patients in dozens of plans,” said John Marraffa, R.Ph., President of Kinney Drugs, in a press release.