medical flex accounts.

[BriGuy]

Anyone use their flex accounts to buy diapers? Been thinking about setting ip a flex account for this reason. Think bambinos would fly as an approved purchase? I generally buy the biancos.

[willnotwill]

The general rule for most of the medical pretax accounts (HSA, FSA, etc...) is that diapers are covered if you have a medical condition that requires them.

[Three Rivers]

I know my flex plan will not cover without a letter of medical necessity. So no doctor's note, no coverage.

[Shawnie]

I have heard of this flex account what are the advantages of it. I am currently set up to get my diapers thru the pharmacy which my insurance pays for. I do pay a copay plus the difference for attends which is a better diaper in my opinion.

[jeremy12312]

You put money into a flex account through payroll deductions at work, and it's pre-tax money. You can then buy qualified medical items with the account.

So, if you buy $100 of diapers, if you pay through the flex account, it really only costs you $70 (more or less, depending on your tax rate).

Your company has to offer FSA as a benefit, and you can lose the money if you put more away than you really spend. But, co-pays are qualified expenses.

[BriGuy]

I read that my flex account will cover incontinence products but I dont remember if it said anything about prescriptions. Ill have to read back through.

[willnotwill]

If you have a high deductible health plan you can also use an HSA for this.

[BriGuy]

Thanks for the tips! I've never had this option before

[Bettypooh]

Willnotwill is on target again Anything related to medical expenses or deductions has to be part of the doctor-required treatment for a specific problem you have. The odds are well in your favor that you'll never have to prove a deduction but if you do they will want to see all the related proofs, including a doctors written letter or prescription and the receipts And if they find that you've been making substantial 'errors' like this in past years the last 5 years of returns may get scrutinized equally

[Shawnie]

Indeed Ms betty . Im gonna check to see what enrollment dates are since I know we have cut off periods since we are a big azz company

[Bettypooh]

The best quote I found for 80% coverage would cost me over 25% of my gross income There's nothing affordable about that Losing my medical deduction will raies my taxed income considerably And they want to penalize me if I don't play along to the tune of 5% of my gross income.

[Guest uknap]

Well if you get ill BP, fly to Britain, it sounds like it could be cheaper option than US insurance!

[Bettypooh]

I can't afford to emigrate or I probably would. The nations who have caught up with or passed the US are picky about who comes in to stay and what they can do once they are there. I can't blame them either- I could easily run up a million-dollar medical bill and as soon as I can afford insurance (if I ever can) I'm going to do just that in getting everything wrong with me fixed all at once. My Doctor will be happy to write the long list and stand behind it Bankruptcy will handle the left-over bills and then I'll be eligible for free insurance for at least the next year If enough people did this the system would have to change but the same complacency which brought this on will keep that from occurring too Reality sucks, it really does.

[SeekingLeaking]

I've been using my FSA for diapers for two years now. My doctor has included a note in my records that I am experiencing some incontinence and may require adult briefs "for some time." I've not been denied approval of the expenses on reimbursement. I've never been asked to prove need, but the medical record is there in case that ever happened to come up.

[d_drew12]

In years past, my FSA plan alway said under incontinece products that they could be eligible with the disclaimer saying you would need a letter of medical necessity. This year, no such requirement!! Out of curiosity, I called to verify and they said they'd cover just submit the receipts. I called a few times to talk with different people and all said the same. My plan and my wife's both changed that rule.

Only one person mentioned that if you were audited, the irs may ask for a note if they felt it was suspicious but from my understanding, as long as you're buying what a normal person would expect to consume, there should be no reason for suspicion so to speak. If you bought a playful diaper or overpriced diaper and bulk shipments, yeah, I could see it possibly being an issue because it's probably not "necessary" based on other items out there. Then again, who's to say you want the expensive pain reliever or the generic??? I personally just wouldn't go there with a print diaper, even if they're the same price as the non print. The printed diaper companies are also not really considered medical supply companies either. That may be a tough argument. I did ask an fsa agent about buying through sites like Amazon and he said that'd be fine. Many medical supply companies sell through Amazon too, that's who I'd buy from. I personally would only buy through an acredited medical supply or specialty store and not an ABU or Bambino type company. Just not worth it. You could argue it a million ways one way or the other but if you have a defense one way or another, you better be able to stand fully behind your reasoning if ever asked about it and know it may still not be a good enough reason for the agent.

My guess is, with all the protective underwear out there so mainstream now, the fsa companies let up on the needing of a letter to make thing easier. You have to figure, fsa companies and the irs know a few people will always abuse the system and they'll try to stop it if they feel it is happening, if they see something suspicious, like buying from a non medical diaper supply who prints babyish designs. I'm also led to believe, as are they that there are not too many people getting diapers or protective underwear "just for fun". Who would do that???

If you're gonna do it, you better actually need them I'd say and not just mentally but physically. Buying a case or two a year could be suspicious too like, why so few if you're incontinent. We could all argue all of the reasons again for a need, probably a million ways, but you'd better be able to stand behind and prove your need for the tax break you're getting!!! May not be worth the doctor visits you'll be paying for to save a few bucks on a couple cases of diapers especially if they don't find you in true medical need in the end!! Simply, don't do it unless it's of medical necessity.

Last thing, the FSA advisor mentioned going to fsastore.com to see what items are covered without a note and that its a good guide. You don't have to buy through there, but it's a good guide. They don't sell any of the premium brands but they do have The US version Tena Supers and several other briefs.

[willnotwill]

What your plan requires and what the IRS requirement is has always been potentially different.

[Shawnie]

I went to my HR Director and signed up for it since I do use caths also I think the cost savings and will be worth it since doctor copays are considered a expense as well. Every dollar spent and is saved from being taxed to death then I believe is a good thing thank you all for the help and insight . Thats what I love so much about our community is the helping of one another.

[willnotwill]

The FSA thing is just a shame because the IRS puts a threshold on the medical expense deduction.

[AwakenEvil]

Well my flex is a basically a prepared credit card that I could use... I contacted my insurance and asked what all it covered and basically anything that would be medical related since its my flex account and I pay into the card every month it wouldn't matter if I bought diapers or used it for medical visits.

[d_drew12]

You can usually only have an HSA if you have a high deductible health care plan. The fsa plans are evolving more every year though as many allow you to rollover funds until mid March of the following year. I've seen some now that will allow plans to roll over up to $500 through the entire next year!

A major benefit to having an FSA is that you have the entire allotment January 1st. Therefor you can say have LASIK done January 1st, use up the $2550 max deduction and be reimbursed right away. It's like an interest free, tax free loan. If you didn't have an FSA, you wouldn't get reimbursed for over a year until you did your taxes the following year.

I feel it's a reasonable way to control medical expense deductions.

[willnotwill]

You can only CONTRIBUTE to an HSA if you are covered by only a high deductible health plan.

[Donney60]

Tangent but still a medical flex plan question.

[willnotwill]

The rule is you can't have other coverage you could use to meet the pre-high deducitble expenses.

[Donney60]

Thank you. That is how I understood it as well. Wifes plan allows it to pay for my expenses so I am SOL I want the HSA because the spending limits on her plan are becoming more limited.