Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are designed to allow you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health products and services that are considered a qualified medical expense — that is, products and services that are used primarily to diagnose, treat or mitigate a medical condition. A lot of these FSA qualified products might seem obvious — over-the-counter pain medication, bandages, cold & flu remedies — but there are hundreds of surprisingly eligible items you may not have considered.
Many people may be confused about what exactly is eligible for purchase with an FSA. Our goal is to make it easy for anyone with a flexible spending account to shop without worry, and to learn more about their plan. In terms of medical services, you can use your FSA to pay for many expenses, ranging from dental and eye care, to annual physicals, to visits with specialists like a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, or a physical therapist. In addition, thousands of items are covered by FSAs, but it can be difficult to tell precisely which products qualify.
Here are some of the most popular items that can help you get the most out of your FSA:
1. Sunscreen
Whether you’re looking for chemical or mineral sun protection for yourself or the whole family, as long as sunscreen is SPF 15 or greater and offers broad spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays, it is eligible for reimbursement with an FSA.
2. Eye Care Products
Prescription eyeglasses are a medical necessity for many, but your FSA can also be used to save on a wide range of products like eyeglasses repair kits, lens cleaning wipes, and prescription sunglasses. Contacts and contact lens care products like contact lens solution are also eligible.
3. Menstrual Care
Thanks to the passage of the CARES Act in 2020, feminine care menstrual products like tampons, menstrual cups, panty liners, pads, menstrual pain remedies, and more, are now fully FSA eligible. Remember to factor these essentials into your yearly medical spending plan!
4. Hi-Tech Health Devices
Many tech devices that are used for a medical purpose, such as relieving pain or tracking vital health statistics, are FSA eligible. From pain-relieving massage guns, to nerve-stimulating TENS therapy devices, to sleep health trackers, to light therapy for pain relief and skincare, to diagnostic tools like at-home EKG units and more, there are many surprisingly eligible tech products you can buy with pre-tax dollars.
5. Smoking Cessation
Quitting smoking may be the best decision you'll ever make for your long-term health, and the smoking cessation aids that can help you see it through — like nicotine gum, patches, lozenges, and more — are also FSA eligible.
6. Hot & Cold Packs
Hot and cold packs play a vital role in the recovery period following a muscle strain or pull by reducing inflammation and promoting increased blood flow and healing. These items are must-haves for individuals and families alike and are eligible for FSA reimbursement.
7. Kinesiology Tape
This special athletic tape is trusted by athletes around the world to help them recover from workout injury and soreness while maintaining their freedom of motion to compete. This tape is meant to be cut and placed on injured or affected areas, where it can provide stability for trouble spots and can help speed the healing process from strain and stress injuries by increasing blood flow.
8. Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins help to supplement the nutritional requirements women have during pregnancy, which can promote the healthy development of the child and help prevent some potential birth defects.
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9. Pill Boxes
Pill boxes make it easy to line up medications for each day of the week, and this is a smart purchase that can help you stay on top of your daily health choices.
For more information on your FSA or how to access a flexible spending account, FSAstore.com has you covered. Our learning center has easy-to-understand resources on qualified medical expenses, what you can use your FSA dollars for, health insurance information, guides on dependent care, and more! Still need more ideas on how to use your FSA to help with health care expenses? Browse FSAstore.com for thousands of guaranteed eligible essentials!
10. Condoms/Contraceptives
Condoms, contraceptives (including daily birth control as well as emergency contraceptives), fertility trackers, ovulations strips, and pregnancy tests play a major role in supporting positive
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