Healthcare flexible spending accounts (FSAs) let you use pre-tax funds to pay for some medical, dental, and health-related products and services, including certain over-the-counter items. Most people know FSA eligible expenses include doctor visits, surgery and other medical procedures, prescription medicines, dental, vision, chiropractic, and mental health services.
However, there are some eligible expenses that may surprise you. Here are nine of them!
Guide Dog/Service Animals
FSAs may reimburse the costs of buying and training a guide dog or other service animal. The animal must assist with visual, hearing, or other physical disabilities. Maintenance costs are eligible as well. These include food, grooming, and veterinary expenses that keep the animal healthy while performing its duties.
Braille Reading Materials
FSAs can reimburse some costs of reading materials for a visually impaired person, like Braille books and magazines. Specifically, you can be reimbursed for the difference between the price of the regular printed edition and the higher price of the Braille edition.
Automobile Conversion Expenses
Disabled persons needing hand steering controls and other special equipment to drive their vehicle can claim these for FSA reimbursement. You can also claim the difference in cost between a regular automobile and one designed to transport a wheelchair.
Television Closed-Captioning Adaptation
Most modern TVs include a built-in capability for closed-captioning. However, if you own an older set that requires an external adapter, you can claim reimbursement for the adapter’s cost. In some cases, you can claim the difference between the cost of a specially equipped television and that of the same model without closed-captioning ability.
Special Telephone Equipment
If you or a dependent are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, FSAs can reimburse the costs of special telephone equipment that assists with communication. These costs include teletypewriters (TTY) and other telecommunications devices for the deaf and repair costs required to keep the equipment serviceable.
Wigs
Wig purchases qualify for FSA reimbursement if you have lost part or all of your hair due to disease or medical treatment (such as radiation or chemotherapy).
Smoking Cessation Programs
Stop-smoking programs, prescription medications, and over-the-counter medications qualify as FSA medical expenses. These include nicotine gum and patches.
Lead-Based Paint Removal
The costs of removing lead-based paints from home walls and surfaces are qualified expenses if they meet the following conditions:
- Removal prevents a child who has (or has had) lead poisoning from eating the paint
- The surfaces have peeling, cracking, or flaking paint
- Children can easily reach the lead paint (i.e., paint removal from a ceiling does not qualify)
Costs of repainting the removal area (labor and paint) do not qualify for reimbursement. Also, covering a leaded area with wallboard or paneling instead of removing the paint is considered a capital expense rather than a medical expense.
Transportation Expenses
Transportation costs to and from medical care qualify as FSA-reimbursable medical expenses. Examples include bus fares, taxis, train fares, airfare, and ambulance services. A parent who must take their child to receive medical care may claim any costs incurred for themselves as well as the child. Adults who cannot travel alone can claim transportation costs for a nurse or companion who can deliver medical care such as injections, medications, or other treatments. You can also claim transportation costs for regular visits to a mentally ill dependent if the visits are part of the treatment recommendations.
To learn more about FSA-eligible expenses, view IRS rules and regulations here.
Healthcare flexible spending accounts (FSAs) let you use pre-tax funds to pay for some medical, dental, and health-related products and services, including certain over-the-counter items. Most people know FSA eligible expenses include doctor visits, surgery and other medical procedures, prescription medicines, dental, vision, chiropractic, and mental health services.
However, there are some eligible expenses that may surprise you. Here are nine of them!
Guide Dog/Service Animals
FSAs may reimburse the costs of buying and training a guide dog or other service animal. The animal must assist with visual, hearing, or other physical disabilities. Maintenance costs are eligible as well. These include food, grooming, and veterinary expenses that keep the animal healthy while performing its duties.
Braille Reading Materials
FSAs can reimburse some costs of reading materials for a visually impaired person, like Braille books and magazines. Specifically, you can be reimbursed for the difference between the price of the regular printed edition and the higher price of the Braille edition.
Automobile Conversion Expenses
Disabled persons needing hand steering controls and other special equipment to drive their vehicle can claim these for FSA reimbursement. You can also claim the difference in cost between a regular automobile and one designed to transport a wheelchair.
Television Closed-Captioning Adaptation
Most modern TVs include built-in capability for closed-captioning. However, if you own an older set that requires an external adapter, you can claim reimbursement for the adapter’s cost. In some cases, you can claim the difference between the cost of a specially equipped television and that of the same model without closed-captioning ability.
Special Telephone Equipment
If you or a dependent are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, FSAs can reimburse the costs of special telephone equipment that assists with communication. These costs include teletypewriters (TTY) and other telecommunications devices for the deaf, and repair costs required to keep the equipment serviceable.
Wigs
Wig purchases qualify for FSA reimbursement if you have lost part or all of your hair due to disease or medical treatment (such as radiation or chemotherapy).
Smoking Cessation Programs
Stop-smoking programs, prescription medications, and over-the-counter medications qualify as FSA medical expenses. These include nicotine gum and patches.
Lead-Based Paint Removal
The costs of removing lead-based paints from home walls and surfaces are qualified expenses if they meet the following conditions:
- Removal prevents a child who has (or has had) lead poisoning from eating the paint
- The surfaces have peeling, cracking, or flaking paint
- Children can easily reach the lead paint (i.e., paint removal from a ceiling does not qualify)
Costs of repainting the removal area (labor and paint) do not qualify for reimbursement. Also, covering a leaded area with wallboard or paneling instead of removing the paint is considered a capital expense rather than a medical expense.
Transportation Expenses
Transportation costs to and from medical care qualify as FSA-reimbursable medical expenses. Examples include bus fares, taxis, train fares, airfare, and ambulance services. A parent who must take their child to receive medical care may claim any costs incurred for themselves as well as the child. Adults who cannot travel alone can claim transportation costs for a nurse or companion who can deliver medical care such as injections, medications, or other treatments. You can also claim transportation costs for regular visits to a mentally ill dependent if the visits are part of the treatment recommendations.
To learn more about FSA-eligible expenses, view IRS rules and regulations here.
