Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI)

What is SSBCI?

CareOregon Advantage offers special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill, also known as SSBCI^†. Members who qualify for the SSBCI benefit receive $225 every 3 months ($900 per year) to spend on healthy food items. These funds are loaded onto their CareCard on the first day of each quarter and must be spent before the quarter ends. Funds do not roll over to the next quarter.

• Quarter 1: January 1-March 31
• Quarter 2: April 1-June 30
• Quarter 3: July 1-September 30
• Quarter 4: October 1-December 31

Funds may be spent at participating retailers and are limited to items considered healthy, such as meats, produce, dairy products, and whole grains. A complete list of participating retailers and eligible food items may be found at mybenefitscenter.com, the OTC Network App, the My CareOregon mobile app, or by calling our Customer Service at 503-416-4279, toll-free 888-712-3258 or TTY 711.

Who is eligible for SSBCI?

Members are eligible for this benefit if all three of the following are true:

• They have one (or more) of the qualifying chronic conditions listed below that is life threatening or significantly limits their overall health or function
• Have a high risk of hospitalization or other adverse health outcomes
• Require intensive care coordination

List of qualifying chronic conditions for this benefit

• Chronic alcohol and other drug dependence
• Autoimmune disorders limited to:
  • Polyarteritis nodosa
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica
  • Polymyositis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Cancer, excluding pre-cancer conditions or in-situ status
• Cardiovascular disorders limited to:
  • Cardiac arrhythmias
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Chronic venous thromboembolic disorder
• Chronic Heart Failure
• Dementia
• Diabetes Mellitus
• End-stage liver disease
• End-stage renal disease (requiring dialysis)
• Severe hematologic disorder limited to:
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Hemophilia
  • Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • Sickle-cell disease (excluding sickle-cell taint)
  • Chronic venous thromboembolic disorder
• HIV/AIDS
• Chronic lung disorder limited to:
  • Asthma
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Emphysema
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
• Chronic and disabling mental health conditions limited to:
  • Bipolar disorders
  • Major depressive disorders
  • Paranoid disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Schizoaffective disorder
• Neurologic disorders limited to:
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Epilepsy
  • Extensive paralysis (i.e. – hemiplegia, quadriplegia, paraplegia, monoplegia)
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Polyneuropathy
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Stroke-related neurologic deficit
• Stroke

For more information about SSBCI

If you have questions, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Team at 503-416-4279, toll-free at 888-712-3258 or TTY 711. Our hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week, October 1 to March 31, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, April 1 to September 30.

^†This benefit is part of a special benefit program called Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI). Members with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases, neurological disorders, and other applicable conditions may be eligible for this benefit. Eligibility is not based solely on these conditions. All eligibility requirements must be present prior to this benefit being supplied. For more information, refer to the 2027 Evidence of Coverage (EOC) or call Customer Service.

Page last updated: October 1, 2025
CMS approved H5859_COAWEB_M_2026