Your Living Rewards Card Earns You Gift Cards For Healthy Living

Your daily commitment to well-being deserves more than just a pat on the back. Imagine that annual check-up, your consistent steps, or even logging a full night’s sleep not only boosting your health but also filling your wallet with gift cards. That’s the tangible power of your living rewards card, a smart incentive program designed to recognize and reward your healthy lifestyle choices. It’s about transforming good habits into real-world value, making your wellness journey even more rewarding.
This isn’t just about accruing points; it’s about strategically maximizing a benefit that’s likely already available to you. We’re diving deep into the mechanics of this system, beyond the surface, to show you precisely how to navigate, earn, and redeem your way to tangible rewards.

Table of Contents

At a Glance: Maximizing Your Living Rewards Card

Understand Your Program’s Specifics: Reward limits and point values can differ between DeanCare and Medica.
Activate Your Account First: Registration and completing the health assessment are your critical first steps to unlock earnings.
Diversify Your Earning: Combine automatic credits from preventive care with active logging of daily habits and challenges.
Timely Redemption is Key: All points expire December 31st of the earning year – don’t let them go to waste!
Navigate Gift Card Options: Learn how to select, split, and receive your preferred e-cards or physical cards.
Medicare Advantage Has Unique Rules: Understand how OTC benefit cards work and where they can be used.

Your Living Rewards Card: What It Is and How It Pays Off

At its core, a living rewards card system is a health incentive program. It works by assigning points to a variety of healthy activities, from simple online assessments to crucial preventive screenings and consistent exercise. These points then convert into real dollars, redeemable for gift cards from a wide array of national retailers, restaurants, and popular merchants. Think of it as your health insurance plan giving you a bonus for actively participating in your own well-being.
The purpose is clear: to encourage you to make and maintain healthy lifestyle choices. It’s a win-win: you get healthier, and you get rewarded for it. This isn’t theoretical; it’s a direct, practical benefit for eligible members aged 18 and older, including adult children on some family policies.

Getting Started: Activating Your Healthy Habits Hub

Before you can start stacking up points, you need to establish your presence within the program. This typically involves signing in or registering for your Living Healthy account, usually hosted on the WebMD portal.

First-Time Registration: If you’re new to WebMD Living Healthy, you’ll need to complete a quick registration process. This creates your personal dashboard for tracking activities and rewards.
Complete Your Health Assessment: This is arguably the most crucial first step, acting as a gateway to additional rewards. You’ll answer lifestyle-related questions designed to evaluate your overall well-being. Completing this assessment doesn’t just give you a snapshot of your health; it immediately unlocks a significant chunk of reward points. For example, completing it in Q1-Q2 of the year might earn you 500 points, while Q3-Q4 yields 250 points. A quick note for DeanCare adult children (ages 18+): while not mandatory due to EEOC/GINA changes, completing the assessment is still highly encouraged for personal health insights.
Once registered and assessed, your living rewards card is virtually active, ready to start accumulating value. For a broader overview of how Dean Healthy Living Rewards integrates into your overall health plan, you can always refer to the main guide: Unlock Dean Healthy Living Rewards.

Your Earning Power: How to Pile Up Points

This is where the rubber meets the road. The points system is diverse, recognizing a range of activities from passive health management to active engagement. Understanding where to focus your efforts can significantly boost your annual earnings.

1. Online Health Assessment (The Foundation)

As mentioned, this is your initial high-value task.

Q1-Q2 Completion: 500 points
Q3-Q4 Completion: 250 points
Strategy Tip: Aim to complete this early in the year to secure maximum points and unlock other activities.

2. Preventive Services (Automatic Credits)

Many crucial health screenings and annual visits automatically translate into points once the claims are processed. This is a passive earning stream, yet vital for both your health and your rewards.

Preventive Service	Points Earned	Notes
Annual Preventive Visit	500	General check-up
Annual Wellness Visit	500	Specifically for Medicare Advantage members
Breast Cancer Screening	500	Mammograms, as recommended
Cervical Cancer Screening	500	Pap tests, as recommended
Colorectal Cancer Screening	500	Colonoscopies, as recommended
Hep C Screening	250	As recommended
Diabetes Testing	250	Blood sugar tests
Lipid Panel	250	Cholesterol and triglyceride tests

Important Note: Points for preventive services are assigned automatically based on processed claims, which can take up to three months. Don’t worry if they don’t appear instantly. Always check with your Primary Care Provider (PCP) to confirm which services are due for you.

3. Living Healthy Portal Activities (Active Engagement)

These are the activities you actively log and participate in through the WebMD platform. This category offers the most consistent earning potential throughout the year.

Various Challenges: Engage in monthly health challenges.
DeanCare: 25-100 points/month
Medica: 200-500 points/month
Side Quests: Short, focused activities.
250 points/month (maximum 3,000 points/year)
Daily Habits Plan: Set and track up to four healthy goals (e.g., hydration, healthy eating).
DeanCare: 150 points/month (maximum 1,800 points/year for four goals)
Medica: 250 points/month (maximum 3,000 points/year for four goals)
Track Exercise: Log 150 minutes of exercise per week.
50 points per day (up to 2,600 points/year)
Track Steps Daily (per calendar quarter): Points accumulate based on your daily step count.
1K steps: 1 point/day (max 90 pts/quarter)
2K steps: 2 points/day (max 180 pts/quarter)
… up to …
10K steps: 10 points/day (max 900 pts/quarter)
Track Sleep Daily:
10 points/day (up to 900 points/quarter)
Sign in to WebMD ONE: Simple daily engagement.
5 points per sign-in (up to 260 points/year)
How to Log Activities: After completing your health assessment, navigate to the “rewards” or “healthy activities” section within the Living Healthy platform.
DeanCare: Click the three lines (menu icon) on the top right, then “rewards,” then “Healthy Activities,” and “Report Completion.”
Medica: Click the “Rewards” tab, then “healthy activities,” and “report completion.”

4. Well-being Activities (Holistic Health)

Beyond physical activity, these tasks address broader aspects of well-being.

Monthly Activities: Engage with the Wellness page, Environmental toolkit, Preventive Health Toolkit, or Community Engagement options.
DeanCare: 15 points/month (up to 180 points/year)
Medica: 25 points/month (up to 300 points/year)
Discuss and Submit an Advance Directive to PCP: A crucial step in healthcare planning.
DeanCare: 100 points
Medica: 250 points
Manage your Mental Health: Specific activities related to mental well-being.
DeanCare: 50 points
Medica: 100 points
Learn about Where to Get the Right Care: Educational modules on healthcare navigation.
DeanCare: 50 points
Medica: 100 points
Dental Visit: Regular oral hygiene is rewarded.
DeanCare: 50 points (Q1-Q2), 50 points (Q3-Q4)
Medica: 100 points (Q1-Q2), 100 points (Q3-Q4)

Cashing In: Transforming Points into Real Rewards

Earning points is satisfying, but redemption is the real payoff. Here’s how your living rewards card points convert into valuable gift cards.

Point-to-Dollar Conversion

The standard conversion rate is straightforward: 10 points = $1. This means if you earn 1,000 points, you’ve earned $100 in gift card value.

Maximum Rewards: Know Your Limits

Each program has an annual cap on how much you can earn:

DeanCare: Up to 1,500 points ($150) per calendar year for adults.
Medica: Up to 7,000 points ($220) per calendar year for adults and adult dependents.
Case Snippet: Emily, a DeanCare member, diligently completes her health assessment (500 pts), gets her annual physical (500 pts), and consistently tracks her steps for 500 more points. She’s already hit her 1,500 point ($150) maximum without even dipping into monthly challenges! Knowing the limits helps her prioritize.

The Redemption Process: Simple Steps to Your Gift Card

Receive Your Email Link: Within three days of logging activities that push your points into a redeemable threshold, an email will be sent to you. This email contains a link to access your reward portal.
Select Your Gift Card(s): Click the link, and you’ll be presented with a vast selection of gift cards from national retailers, restaurants, and popular merchants. You have the flexibility to choose one large gift card or split your rewards into different amounts for various merchants.
Checkout and Order: Select your desired gift card(s), click “Checkout,” and then “Place Order.”
Choose Delivery:

E-cards: These are typically delivered via email almost instantly after placing your order, though it can still be part of the “up to three days” window from initial activity logging.
Physical Cards: If you opt for a physical card, you’ll need to enter your mailing address. These can take up to 14 business days to receive via mail.

The Crucial Deadline: Don’t Let Points Expire!

This is perhaps the most vital piece of advice for any living rewards card user: All points earned in a calendar year must be redeemed by December 31 of that same year. Any unredeemed points will be forfeited. Set a reminder now!

Navigating the Nuances: DeanCare vs. Medica & Medicare Advantage Specifics

While the core concept is the same, there are important distinctions based on your specific plan.

Eligibility & Dependents

DeanCare: Covers adult children (ages 18+) under a family member’s policy, with separate reward limits for each eligible individual.
Medica: Primarily for Medica, Dean Health Plan, and Prevea360 employee plan members in the St. Louis, Missouri area and Wisconsin.

Activity Points (Program Differences Highlighted)

As seen in the “Earning Power” section, specific point values for challenges, daily habits, and well-being activities can vary significantly between DeanCare and Medica. Always check your program’s specific point values on the portal.

Specific to Medicare Advantage Members (DeanCare Only)

If you’re a DeanCare Medicare Advantage member, your rewards have a unique redemption path and usage.

OTC Benefit Card: Instead of traditional gift cards, you’ll receive your Living Healthy Reward dollars on your existing over-the-counter (OTC) benefit card. These funds are typically loaded within two weeks.
Where it’s Usable: This card can be used at a broad range of locations including grocery stores, restaurants, home supply stores, and lawn and garden stores. This offers great flexibility for everyday essentials and treats.
Where it Cannot Be Used: There are specific exclusions. You cannot use your OTC benefit card at retailers that sell alcohol, tobacco, or firearms, which generally includes major chains like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. Actionable Advice: Always confirm the specific list of accepted and unaccepted merchants for your OTC card directly with your plan documents or by contacting member services to avoid any surprises at the checkout.

The Fine Print: What Else You Need to Know

Beyond the earning and redemption mechanics, a few important considerations ensure you’re a savvy living rewards card user.

Activity Validation: The program reserves the right to validate submitted activities. This means honesty and accuracy in logging are paramount.
Tax Implications: Your employer may be required to report health plan-issued incentives as taxable income. Incentive payment information will typically be reported to your employer, who will then handle the tax reporting as required. This isn’t common for smaller amounts, but it’s good to be aware of.
Health Information Privacy: Rest assured, your individual health information is protected by federal law (HIPAA) and will not be shared with your employer. The program operates with strict privacy protocols.
Plan Administrator Check: Reward offerings and specific rules can vary even within the same umbrella program, depending on your employer or individual plan. Always check with your plan administrator for the most accurate and up-to-date reward offerings specific to your plan.

Quick Answers: Common Questions About Your Living Rewards Card

Q: Can my points expire?
A: Yes, absolutely. All points earned in a calendar year must be redeemed by December 31st of that same year. Unredeemed points are forfeited.
Q: How long until I get my gift card after redemption?
A: You’ll typically receive an email with a link to redeem your points within three days of logging activities. E-cards are usually delivered instantly after you place your order through that link, while physical gift cards can take up to 14 business days to arrive via mail.
Q: Are the rewards from my living rewards card taxable?
A: It’s possible. Your employer may be required to report health plan-issued incentives as taxable income. It’s always a good idea to check with your plan administrator or a tax professional for clarity on your specific situation.
Q: What if my preventive service points don’t show up automatically?
A: Points for preventive services are credited automatically once claims are processed, which can take up to three months. If it’s been longer than that, or if you’re concerned, contact your plan’s member services to inquire.
Q: Can I split my reward into multiple gift cards?
A: Yes! When you redeem your points, you can select different gift card amounts for various merchants, allowing you to tailor your rewards to your preferences.
Q: How do I know my annual maximum reward amount?
A: For DeanCare, adults can earn up to 1,500 points ($150) per year. For Medica, adults and adult dependents can earn up to 7,000 points ($220) per year. These limits apply per eligible individual.

Your Actionable Playbook: Start Earning Today

Taking advantage of your living rewards card doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your lifestyle, but rather a strategic approach to tracking and engaging.

Register and Assess Immediately: Make account registration and completing your health assessment your absolute first priority. This unlocks your access and provides foundational points.
Understand Your Plan’s Specifics: Identify whether you’re under DeanCare or Medica, and note the maximum annual rewards and any unique point values for activities. Medicare Advantage members should familiarize themselves with the OTC card usage rules.
Prioritize Auto-Credits: Schedule your annual physicals and recommended screenings. These are high-value, often effortless points that accumulate in the background.
Embrace the Portal: Get familiar with the WebMD Living Healthy platform. Explore the challenges, daily habits, and tracking options. Even small, consistent efforts (like daily step tracking or signing in) add up significantly over time.
Set a Redemption Reminder: Mark December 31st on your calendar. Make it a yearly tradition to check your point balance and redeem all accumulated rewards before they expire. Consider redeeming in chunks throughout the year to enjoy your rewards sooner.
Review Your Progress Regularly: Log in monthly to see how your points are growing and what activities you could do to reach your maximum reward potential.
Your living rewards card is more than just a perk; it’s an empowering tool. By understanding its mechanisms and consistently engaging, you’re not just investing in your health, but also in a tangible return that rewards your commitment to well-being. Start making your healthy choices pay off today!

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Peing Peng

I'm a health writer passionate about helping people live better with less. I believe that small, mindful choices can make a big difference in our well-being physically, mentally, and environmentally.

Through this website, I share simple, science-backed tips for low impact health whether it's gentle fitness routines, stress-free wellness habits, or eco-friendly lifestyle changes. My goal is to make healthy living more accessible, sustainable, and kind to both our bodies.