What can you buy with a Flexible Spending Account? Turns out, a lot more than you might think. Here’s a list of some surprising things your FSA covers. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions...
Many of us use our flexible spending accounts to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses like doctor visit co-pays or medications that aren’t covered under medical insurance.
For example, surprisingly, sunscreen is considered an FSA reimbursable expense.
It’s true! The IRS has a handy list of medical supplies and services covered by your FSA. That’s the list for preparing your 2018 returns, but no recent updates have been published since that time.
You’ll find even more products and supplies when you search for FSA-eligible products and services at FSAStore.com or by searching for FSA-eligible products on Amazon.
What Can You Buy With a Flexible Spending Account?
So what can you buy with a flexible spending account? Here are a few highlights that may also surprise you.
Take care of your lips with moisturizing lip balm. Your best bet is to invest in lip care products with sunscreen to take lip care to the next level. Your FSA covers the primary expenses for service animals, including training fees, food and veterinary care. You can use your FSA to cover the cost of removing lead-based paint from your home. The unfortunate catch: It’s only an allowable expense if your child already has or had lead poisoning. Some women’s health products and services are covered. Pregnancy test kits, birth control pills, post-mastectomy breast reconstruction and abortions are all considered eligible expenses. Though menstrual cramp relief products are covered, feminine hygiene products, inexplicably, are not. Reproductive services are covered for men and women, including sterilization, vasectomies, lactation expenses and some fertility enhancement procedures. Your FSA covers a variety of family planning and sexual health products like condoms and STI test kits. Medical monitoring supplies like stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and thermometers are FSA-eligible. All kinds of eye care and vision products from eye drops and contact lens solution to eyeglasses and sunglasses. Acupuncture, visits to an osteopath, medical care from a Christian Science Practitioner and tune-ups by a chiropractor are all covered under your FSA.
It can be tough to tell what products and services are covered by your FSA. If you aren’t sure, check with a tax professional or check directly with the IRS.
“If you can’t find the expense you are looking for, refer to the definition of medical expenses under What Are Medical Expenses,” says the IRS.
Lisa McGreevy is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
