Flex Spending Account

[kajero]

I need to empty my Flex Account before next Thursday. I bought new glasses and have submitted every medical expense I could. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can spend it down?

[Becky]

Contacts? Co-pays? (I'll take any excuse to see the chiropractor!) Doctor's prescription for a massage?

[luvmyguys]

Do you need prescription cycling glasses?

[Eden]

How much is left? You can spend a 100 or so by putting together a first aid box. I have one I take to races - it has band aids, gauze, sunscreen, ace bandages, ibuprofen, no stick pads, antibiotic cream, stuff like that (other things that might be good - instant cold pack, bug spray etc). As far as I know many of those things qualify for reimbursement. It's not a bad thing to have for your disaster kit too.

Hmmmmmm scratch that.... looks like OTC stuff is no longer covered unless you have a doctors prescription for it.....

[thekarens]

Dental work you've been putting off? Yes, I'm talking to myself :-)

[kajero]

Prescription cycling glasses . . will Pearle Vision know what they are?

[luvmyguys]

Prescription cycling glasses . . will Pearle Vision know what they are?

Is that the only place you can go? I went to a separate optometrist that sold Rudy Project glasses. But Pearle Vision might have some options.

[kajero]

I can go anywhere. the insurance won't pay for it. Fortunately, I have alreay used the insurance for a different pair.

I have arund $500 that I haven't contributed yet, but I am sure going to use!

How do I find an optometrist that sells the Rudy Project glasses?

[luvmyguys]

I went to the Rudy Project website and found one! there. That should get some nice glasses!

[ny biker]

You need to check the list for what qualifies. I don't know if the rules are set by the government or if they vary by plan, but for my plan I can't claim most OTC medical supplies or drugs without an Rx from the doctor or a special medical need. For example sunscreen qualifies if you've had skin cancer but otherwise it doesn't. And I can't claim the OTC antihistamines the doctor recommends for me unless he writes me a prescription.

However I can claim non-prescription reading glasses. I have submitted claims for 6-8 pairs in the past couple of years. I have a pair here in the living room, one at work, one in my purse, a folding pair in my bike bag, another folding pair in the duffle bag where I keep my bike gear, etc. So if you need reading glasses, now's the time to stock up.

If that won't work, maybe another pair of eyeglasses, for a spare, or maybe prescription sunglasses.

I've been nearsighted for years and only recently started needed reading glasses, so I still wear contact lenses or eyeglasses for distance. Last year I used up my FSA with a pair of prescription titanium Ray-Bans. They are incredibly light, very nice frames.

[thekarens]

Wish I had that type of flex health spending account. We only get $300.00 annually with our employer's plan. I have to parse out amongst dental, specialized eye checkup or orthotics.

Ours comes out of our own pocket, like a lot of plans, but it is tax free and rolls over from year to year so I always put in 1200 or so.

[Skippyak]

Do check what you can buy, some guy I heard of could buy his bike on his, also gym memberships, equipment etc, I am sure mine is not that flexi LOL.

[Irulan]

Do check what you can buy, some guy I heard of could buy his bike on his, also gym memberships, equipment etc, I am sure mine is not that flexi LOL.

Sounds like an audit would bust his *** too. Just because he did doesn't mean he could, legally.

[Eden]

What I just read said gym membership could be covered, but only if prescribed by a doctor as a treatment for an illness/disease. I suppose you could work a bike in there somehow - rehab for a knee or something?

[Skippyak]

FOr sure, but if it is fitness equipment, and that is allowable, why not a bike? If people pay for treadmills they use to hang clothes on or gym memberships to places they never enter, why not?.