As 2020 comes to a close, the rush of the holiday season will soon turn into a scramble for many flexible spending account (FSA) users who have a December 31 plan year deadline. FSAstore.com, the first online marketplace for exclusively FSA-eligible products and a leading resource for account holder education, released today a list of 10 ways consumers can spend remaining FSA funds in the next 10 days to avoid forfeiting unused dollars.
Why it matters: An FSA is an employer-sponsored, tax-advantaged account that can be used to pay for eligible healthcare expenses. However, money left at the end of each plan year (or after any applicable deadline extension) is forfeited back to the employer. Because of the influence of COVID-19 on access to healthcare services this year, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars left on the line for many American families.
While the FSA spending dash has been a yearly tradition, FSAstore.com believes that spending healthcare dollars should be simple and that forfeiting funds doesn’t have to occur when there are so many options available for account holders to help manage medical conditions and support their long-term health.
With under 2 weeks left to go until the December 31 deadline, FSAstore.com has again published its Deadline Spending Guide to help FSA users understand their options, along with the following 10 ways to spend down funds before time runs out in 10 short days:
1. Diagnostic Products. FSA users looking for a better window into their state of health can use their FSA dollars to purchase at-home COVID test kits, blood pressure monitors, thermometers, pulse oximeters and more.
2. Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines. Thanks to the passage of the CARES Act, FSA users can now purchase OTC medicines without a prescription. These include products like pain relievers, antihistamines/decongestants, acne treatments and more that FSA users can save on with their tax-free funds as opposed to paying out-of-pocket. FSA users have even more options this year with the introduction of GoodSense®, FSAstore.com’s private label line of generic OTC medications. With each sale of a GoodSense® product, a portion of the proceeds is donated to the nonprofit charity, Children’s Health Fund.
3. Drug-Free Pain Relief. For people who want drug-free pain relief alternatives, FSA eligible products like acupressure mats, TENS machines, foot rollers, posture pumps and more are just some of the medicine-free pain relief options FSA users can try with their excess health dollars.
4. First Aid. From first aid kits to first aid supplies, FSA users have the opportunity to bolster their medicine cabinets or supplement existing kits they may already have at home, in their car, boat, and everywhere in between.
5. Cold & Allergy. Fall allergies are still a major issue for some, while spring allergy season is just around the corner. In addition to over-the-counter medicines like decongestants and antihistamines, allergy sufferers can also purchase steam inhalers, saline nose wipes, Neti pots and more with their tax-free dollars.
6. Baby & Mom. This is the perfect time for soon-to-be parents to plan ahead with qualifying eligible baby and mom products. An FSA can help new parents get started and save with breastfeeding pumps and supplies, baby movement monitors, nasal aspirators, baby sunscreen and more.
7. Skin & Personal Care. With the expansion of OTC medicines to include products in skin care, FSA users have more opportunities than ever to promote optimal skin health. Keep acne and “maskne” caused by mask usage at bay with eligible acne treatments and light therapy, as well as skin care products used to treat dry skin and eczema.
8. Feminine Care. Feminine care products were made eligible for the first time ever in 2020 thanks to the passage of the CARES Act. FSA users can now expand their yearly budgets to encompass regular purchases like tampons, pads, period underwear, menstrual cups, and more.
9. Sun Care. We’ve all done a lot less traveling in 2020, but those UV rays haven’t gone anywhere. Practice year-round sun care for the whole family with broad spectrum sunscreen for babies, kids and adults, SPF lip balm, moisturizing skin treatments with SPF and more.
10. Eye Care (Glasses, Contacts, Sunglasses). If FSA users need vision correction like glasses and contact lenses, the FSA deadline is the perfect incentive to invest in a new set of prescription frames and lenses, reading glasses, prescription sunglasses or prescription contact lenses. FSAs even cover eyeglass and contact lens care products, like lens cleaning wipes, eyeglass repair kits, as well as contact lens cases and solutions.
The time to spend FSA funds may be running out, but FSA users are better positioned than ever to fully maximize the potential of their tax-free funds to treat medical conditions and promote their long-term health.
To learn more about FSA and deadline spending, visit FSAstore.com.
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About Health-E Commerce
Health-E Commerce is the parent brand of FSAstore.com, HSAstore.com, and WellDeservedHealth.com, a family of brands serving the 70+ million consumers with tax-free health and wellness accounts. Since 2010, Health-E Commerce's brand portfolio has led the direct-to-consumer e-commerce market for tax-free health and wellness benefits and helped partners and everyday Americans benefit better through its 100% eligible product selection and easy-to-understand educational resources. Health-E Commerce plays an essential role in consumer advocacy in the tax-free health space through both advocating for eligibility of important new categories within the IRS-approved list of eligible medical expenses and leading a committee of industry experts to promote the important national conversation around product safety and authenticity.