FSA 2021 Flex spending account - Medical

[dreamin_disney]

Has anyone received any info for 2021? I’m wondering if over the counter medication will be eligible without a doctors note. Through the cares act it made it so easy not having to ask doctors for a note.

I’m also curious if anyone got a massage gun covered under FSA , if so, did you need a doctor note? I have back issue, sciatic nerve acts up at times and my shoulder gets tight. I go to the chiropractor but was thinking the massage gun would come in handy.

I haven’t heard any news and for 2020 I didn’t get an email about the new change until end of March

 

[RangerPooh]

I think it depends on who your FSA is through. We’ve had a few over the years, some have allowed OTC meds and others haven’t. The last FSA through my employer was awful. They had me submit receipts for things multiple times, for everything. Hoping our new one is better.

 

[Hiitsme]

FSA plans are like slot machines. We keep pushing our money into them, hoping to get some back. The pre-tax "savings" is laughable. Just take the amount you would be giving the FSA plan and sock it away. Even a little savings account is better because come January 1, 2022 your money is still your's not their's and you've earned a little bit of interest.

 

[mistysue]

FSA plans are like slot machines. We keep pushing our money into them, hoping to get some back. The pre-tax "savings" is laughable. Just take the amount you would be giving the FSA plan and sock it away. Even a little savings account is better because come January 1, 2022 your money is still your's not their's and you've earned a little bit of interest.

Unless you actually have the medical expenses.
We ALWAYS use the max we can put into our FSA, often in the first couple months of the year. They are for people like my family, not so much for people who can reasonably consider whether they will have expenses. Nobody in my house is even actively sick and we will max it out this or next month.

 

[dreamin_disney]

I moved mine from $1400 to $1800
I use mine for RX copay, my libre2 sensors,
vitamins: D, C, E, magnesium, women’s one a day
DD’s contacts and glasses,
chiropractic.

last year was nice that we were able to buy over the counter medication without a doctor note. We were also able to get feminine menstral products too. I used up my fsa by August/September

Hopefully it will cover a massage gun and save me money on chiropractic costco

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Unless you actually have the medical expenses.
We ALWAYS use the max we can put into our FSA, often in the first couple months of the year. They are for people like my family, not so much for people who can reasonably consider whether they will have expenses. Nobody in my house is even actively sick and we will max it out this or next month.

This is us too. There was only 2 years that dh and I both maxed ours out and that's when both of our kids went into braces together. Now we only max out mine. Somehow we still manage to empty it by July or August. Just my allergy meds alone put a good dent in it.
If anyone would prefer to pay more to the IRS, that's fine by me but I like to keep that amount as low as I can. I've never had anything leftover at the end of the year.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I think it depends on who your FSA is through. We’ve had a few over the years, some have allowed OTC meds and others haven’t. The last FSA through my employer was awful. They had me submit receipts for things multiple times, for everything. Hoping our new one is better.

What is submissible is determined by the IRS/Feds, not so much by the different FSA administrators. They are the ones who do the actual accepting/rejecting but they don't make the rules.

 

[ZoeBell]

What is submissible is determined by the IRS/Feds, not so much by the different FSA administrators. They are the ones who do the actual accepting/rejecting but they don't make the rules.

Not entirely true. Employers have to opt into the new rules. My employer didn’t opt in for the Cares updated rules in 2020. This year they kinda opted in. A script or letter of necessity is needed for OTC meds, but feminine products are still not allowed.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Not entirely true. Employers have to opt into the new rules. My employer didn’t opt in for the Cares updated rules in 2020. This year they kinda opted in. A script or letter of necessity is needed for OTC meds, but feminine products are still not allowed.

wow, I am shocked. That is terrible. My employer gives us whatever the feds say we can have. They always tell us it’s up to the feds.

 

[DisneyTexan]

FSA plans are like slot machines. We keep pushing our money into them, hoping to get some back. The pre-tax "savings" is laughable. Just take the amount you would be giving the FSA plan and sock it away. Even a little savings account is better because come January 1, 2022 your money is still your's not their's and you've earned a little bit of interest.

The usefulness of FSAs will vary from one family to the next. If you are in a low tax bracket with minimal medical expenses, then the account would not be all that useful. However, a family in a high tax bracket with high medical expenses will save some money. For example, if a family puts in $2,000 and they are in the 24% tax bracket in 2021, then the savings would be $480.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Well I got denied $38 for my halls throat drops, robotussin cough medicine and delsyum cough medicine because I need a doctor letter. Did the cares act end? No one wants to make appointments go to doctors and wait in office around sick people. I’m sure doctors and nurses have enough to deal with.

Has anyone got the above items I mentioned approved this year without a doctor note? I’m hoping it was an error or a new employee that didn’t know if it is covered. One year I got so many Claims denied and had to resubmit. I finally called about it and was told there was there was a big turnout of new employees coming and leaving and many didn’t know the info

 

[dreamin_disney]

I called my fsa about my claim that got denied for cough meds and throat hall drops. I asked if over the counter is still covered without a doctor note since we are still in pandemic. I was told if it’s on the fsa store and says it’s covered then it is. I told her the items say eligible. She doubled checked and told me to resubmit claim.
I also asked about the massage therapy gun and she said to get a doctor note for that.

 

[pershing]

Wow. I haven't even tried to get over the counter stuff. This is good to know! Thx.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Text - S.3548 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): CARES Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Trying to read if any of this expires but people keep texting me and now dh is home from grocery shopping.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I submitted an OTC today. Will keep you posted. The receipt does list a FSA subtotal.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I submitted an OTC today. Will keep you posted. The receipt does list a FSA subtotal.

They did accept the OTC. It was generic Sudafed which I sometimes take for allergies.
Ironically, they denied the Aveeno Oatmeal Bath which is listed as FSA eligible on my CVS receipt. When I sent a message asking why it was denied, I was told it's bath soap. I replied back that it's for eczema and rashes to help stop the itchy rash I got after getting the covid vaccine. Waiting for a reply. It's also listed at the FSA store so I sent them that link as well.

 

[dreamin_disney]

They did accept the OTC. It was generic Sudafed which I sometimes take for allergies.
Ironically, they denied the Aveeno Oatmeal Bath which is listed as FSA eligible on my CVS receipt. When I sent a message asking why it was denied, I was told it's bath soap. I replied back that it's for eczema and rashes to help stop the itchy rash I got after getting the covid vaccine. Waiting for a reply. It's also listed at the FSA store so I sent them that link as well.

I’m glad the otc was covered. Hopefully the oatmeal soap will be too since it’s medically needed for rash. Keep us posted