This review is based on Section 3.1 (page 12) of the “Clare Senior Care — Single Numbered Page” booklet, which lays out a side-by-side comparison of MassHealth + Mass General Brigham Advantage (PPO) and Tufts. The goal here is to translate that comparison into plain language so you can quickly see how these options differ on the things seniors and caregivers ask about most: coverage basics, rides, OTC/food cards, wellness dollars, vision/hearing, dental, and provider access.

In the booklet, “MassHealth + Mass General Brigham Advantage” means the member has both MassHealth and a Mass General Brigham Advantage PPO plan. The booklet notes you must show both cards when using care with that pairing.

Below, we’ll summarize each category in everyday terms and call out where one option may fit better depending on your needs.

1) Coverage basics (what you show at the doctor)

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO): Full MassHealth coverage (including medical transportation). MGB Advantage is private insurance layered on top; you’ll need to show both cards.
Tufts: The chart doesn’t list PCP/ER copays here; network and referral rules apply in other categories below. The booklet line also notes PCP/ER copays aren’t shown in this row.

Plain-English take: With MassHealth + MGB Advantage, MassHealth remains a core safety net (especially for rides and some cost-sharing), and the MGB Advantage plan stacks on additional private benefits. For Tufts, the chart emphasizes network/referral aspects later, not copays here.

2) Transportation (medical and non-medical rides)

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO):
- Medical rides: Covered 100% by MassHealth.
- Non-medical: $120 per quarter (Uber/taxi/rideshare).
Tufts:
- Medical rides: Unlimited rides to and from medical appointments.
- Non-medical: Up to two free round-trips per month, up to 20 miles each way (think short errands, visiting a friend, or a religious service).

Who might prefer which?

If you have frequent medical appointments, Tufts’ unlimited medical rides are very generous.
If you expect occasional non-medical trips, Tufts gives you two monthly non-medical round trips (distance-capped), while the MassHealth + MGB route gives a $120/quarter stipend for non-medical rides—good for flexible use but capped by dollars, not trips.

3) Caregiver rewards (Clare AFC add-on)

The booklet lists a Clare program (not an insurance benefit) tied to caregiver health promotion tasks:

MassHealth + MGB Advantage: N/A in the chart.
Tufts: $175/month per senior for completing health promotion challenges (paid tax-free in caregiver’s check).

Important note: This “Caregiver Rewards” is flagged as (Clare AFC) in the booklet. That means it’s a program through Clare, not the insurer itself. If your family is enrolled with Clare’s Adult Foster Care (AFC), the Tufts column shows a potential monthly caregiver incentive Clare may pay (subject to program rules).

4) OTC/Healthy foods & hygiene allowances

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO): $425 every 3 months (≈ $141.67/month) for groceries, OTC, hygiene—limitations and medical-necessity rules may apply.
Tufts: $85/quarter (no rollover; no food), much smaller than the MGB side in this table.

Who might prefer which?
If your household relies on an OTC/food card to stretch groceries and health items, MassHealth + MGB Advantage offers a much bigger quarterly budget in this comparison.

5) Wellness & fitness dollars

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO): $450/year for wellness activities/services.
Tufts: $450/year (via Visa/Mastercard) for fitness classes, Apple Watch, and exercise equipment.

What’s the difference?
Dollar amounts are equal here; Tufts explicitly notes you can use the card for classes, devices (Apple Watch), and equipment. MGB’s description is broader—“wellness activities/services”—but the same annual amount.

6) Acupuncture

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO): 12 visits per 90 days for chronic low back pain, with +8 visits if you show improvement; additional services may be covered under Medicaid.
Tufts: 12 visits every 90 days, max 20/year.

Bottom line: Both allow an initial 12-visit block; MGB + MassHealth hints at possible extra coverage via Medicaid beyond Medicare-specific limits, whereas Tufts caps at 20/year per the chart.

7) Hearing exams & hearing aids

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO):
- Routine hearing screening: $0.
- Hearing aids: $0 through Hearing Care Solutions, limit one per ear every 60 months, prior auth required.
Tufts:
- $699 (Advanced) or $999 (Premium) per aid, up to two every year.
- The chart adds: MassHealth covers 100% if using an approved provider.

What this means in real life:
If you have MassHealth and use approved providers, both pathways may reduce your out-of-pocket cost to $0 for hearing aids due to MassHealth coverage. However, if you’re looking only at the plan column numbers, MGB + MassHealth shows $0 through Hearing Care Solutions with that 60-month per-ear limit; the Tufts side shows member pricing ($699/$999 per aid) but then reminds you that MassHealth may cover those costs in full with an approved provider.

8) Provider access & referrals

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO): “Same: referrals & prior auth may apply.”
Tufts: PCP network required; check if the provider is in-network; referrals required for some services.

Key takeaway:
Tufts emphasizes PCP-based navigation and referrals in more situations. MGB Advantage PPO tends to be more flexible than an HMO but still has referrals/prior auth for certain care. Always verify your doctors and hospitals in-network for the plan you actually enroll in.

9) Vision

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO):
- Eye exams: $0 (may require prior auth).
- Glasses/contacts: up to $300/year via EyeMed; up to $180 at non-network stores.
Tufts:
- Eye exam: $0 (routine; post-cataract eyewear covered).
- Eyewear allowance: $200/year via EyeMed.

Who might prefer which?
If you need more eyewear dollars, the MGB + MassHealth side allocates up to $300/year in-network (EyeMed), compared with $200 on the Tufts side in this chart. Post-cataract eyewear is covered on the Tufts side; MGB mentions post-cataract eyewear elsewhere in the booklet’s UHC comparison, but for this 3.1 table we’ll stick to what’s shown here.

10) Dental

MassHealth + MGB Advantage (PPO):
- $0 for preventive exams.
- Restorative & emergency dental may need prior auth.
- One free preventive visit every 6 months listed.
Tufts:
- $1,500/year maximum; preventive, restorative, endodontics included.
- No copays or deductibles stated.

Who might prefer which?
If you expect substantial dental work, Tufts’ $1,500 annual max may be more predictable. If your needs are mainly preventive, the MGB + MassHealth side lists $0 preventive and notes prior auth for some other work—so outcomes may vary depending on specifics and the MassHealth layer.

Quick side-by-side wins (from the booklet)

OTC/Food/Hygiene: MGB + MassHealth by a wide margin ($425/quarter vs $85/quarter for Tufts, with Tufts excluding food in this table).
Medical rides: Tufts offers unlimited medical rides, plus two free non-medical round trips per month (20 miles each way). MGB + MassHealth gives 100% medical via MassHealth and $120/quarter for non-medical flexibility.
Vision allowance: MGB + MassHealth lists $300/year vs $200/year on Tufts in the comparison row; both show $0 exams.
Hearing aids: MGB shows $0 through Hearing Care Solutions (limits/PAs apply). Tufts shows $699/$999 per aid, but the table also states MassHealth can cover 100% with an approved provider—so either pathway may yield $0 out-of-pocket if you leverage MassHealth rules and the right network.
Dental: Tufts highlights a $1,500/year maximum without copays/deductibles in the row shown; MGB + MassHealth lists $0 preventive and notes prior auth for some services. Which is better depends on how much dental you need.
Wellness dollars: Tie at $450/year; Tufts spells out Apple Watch/equipment explicitly, MGB labels it broadly as wellness activities/services.

How to choose (simple scenarios)

You want the biggest OTC/food card:
Go MassHealth + MGB Advantage for the $425/quarter budget shown in the table.
You rely on rides a lot (especially to doctors):
Tufts provides unlimited medical rides and two non-medical round trips per month (short distance). If your non-medical trips are mostly short and regular, this is strong. If you prefer flexible non-medical ride dollars (e.g., occasional Uber/taxi of varying costs), the $120/quarter stipend on the MGB + MassHealth side could fit better.
You care about vision allowance:
The MGB + MassHealth column shows a higher eyewear allowance (up to $300/year EyeMed, $180 out-of-network store) vs $200 on Tufts here. If you buy pricier frames or progressive lenses, that extra room can help.
You need hearing aids:
Either path can reduce costs to $0 when coordinated with MassHealth and approved providers. The MGB row shows $0 through Hearing Care Solutions (with frequency limits), while the Tufts row lists member pricing but reminds that MassHealth may cover 100% with approved providers. If you’re already connected to a Hearing Care Solutions provider, that may tilt you to the MGB + MassHealth path.
You expect significant dental work:
Tufts highlights a $1,500 annual max (no copays/deductibles), which is easy to plan around. If your needs are mostly cleanings and exams, MGB + MassHealth lists $0 preventive (with some prior auth considerations for restorative/emergency).
You want easy network rules:
Tufts stresses PCP network requirements and referrals for some services; MGB PPO is generally flexible but still may require referrals or prior auth depending on the service. If you want a strong PCP-coordinated experience, Tufts fits that model. If you want the PPO flexibility, the MGB side reflects that.

Frequently asked quick facts (from the table)

Do I need to show two cards with MGB + MassHealth? Yes—MassHealth and MGB Advantage PPO.
How big is the OTC/food card on the MGB side? $425 per quarter (≈ $141.67/month). Limits and rules apply.
Does Tufts include a food card in that OTC amount? The table says no food in the $85/quarter OTC line there.
What about wellness dollars? Both list $450/year, used a bit differently.
Rides for errands or visiting friends? Tufts: two free non-medical round trips/month (20 miles each way). MGB + MassHealth: $120/quarter to spend flexibly on rideshare/taxi.
Hearing aids cost? MGB: $0 through Hearing Care Solutions (limits/prior auth). Tufts lists $699/$999 per aid but notes MassHealth can cover 100% with approved providers.
Vision allowance? MGB + MassHealth: up to $300/year via EyeMed (+$180 out-of-network store). Tufts: $200/year. Both: $0 routine exams.
Dental? MGB + MassHealth: $0 preventive, other work may need PA. Tufts: $1,500 max/year; no copays/deductibles stated.

Final thought: pick by your real-world habits

Both choices can work well—what matters is what you actually use:

If your OTC/food/hygiene spending is high and you want bigger wellness dollars clarity, MassHealth + MGB Advantage shines on the OTC line and matches Tufts on wellness dollars.
If you need lots of rides, especially medical, Tufts offers strong transportation flexibility—unlimited medical plus two monthly non-medical round trips (short).
If vision dollars matter: the MGB + MassHealth column lists more allowance in this table.
For hearing aids, coordinate with MassHealth-approved providers either way—both paths can land you at $0 out-of-pocket if handled correctly.
For dental, choose between Tufts’ $1,500 cap and MGB + MassHealth’s $0 preventive + PA for some services.

When in doubt, list your must-haves (rides, OTC/food, glasses, dental, hearing) and compare them against these rows. Then, before enrolling or switching, verify providers, distances, and any prior authorization with the plan you prefer.

Disclaimer

This article summarizes the 3.1 comparison table (page 12) from the referenced booklet to make benefits easier to understand. Plan details often have rules, prior authorization, network limits, distance caps, and vendor requirements. Benefits can change and can differ by your eligibility, county, and the exact plan you select. Always confirm current coverage, provider networks, and allowances directly with the plan and with MassHealth before you enroll or use benefits. We do not guarantee completeness or accuracy for your situation and assume no responsibility for discrepancies. For questions about your coverage, contact the plan and/or MassHealth directly.

Sources: “Clare Senior Care — Single Numbered Page” booklet, Section 3.1 comparison (page 12) and adjacent rows cited throughout.

MassHealth Guidance, Senior Education

Mass General Brigham Advantage + MassHealth vs. Tufts: Which Combo Fits You Best?