FSA (flexible spending account) or HSA (health savings account) funds can be used for qualified medical expenses – including many of your dermatology needs!
Unusual moles, lumps or blemishes on your skin could indicate health conditions like melanoma. Your dermatologist will remove these growths for laboratory analysis.
Dry Skin
Flex Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts provide a great way of covering healthcare-related expenses that fall outside your health insurance’s coverage. By setting aside money from each paycheck and using it towards eligible medical expenses before taxes are applied, these accounts make saving for these expenses simpler than ever.
Although certain skincare treatments may fall under cosmetic category and thus be ineligible for reimbursement under FSA or HSA plans, other products can help address common skin ailments and contribute to improving them. Some examples include:
Dry skin may be caused by medical conditions like psoriasis, eczema or rosacea that require prescription creams and medications to manage symptoms – these treatments may be expensive but may not always be fully covered by insurance plans. If this applies to you and requires prescription-strength products for treatment purposes, using an FSA or HSA could help offset costs associated with this cost-sharing arrangement.
Many over-the-counter drugs qualify for FSA or HSA reimbursement, including pain relievers, allergy medicine, heartburn relief medications and antacids. Furthermore, beauty products like eye drops and moisturizers may also qualify.
FSA or HSA-eligible treatments related to skin health may include acne cleansers, gels and creams; at-home light therapy devices; and facials performed by board-certified dermatologists. Such therapies may help clear away breakouts while helping prevent further breakouts.
FSA/HSA eligible laser therapies such as the dpl IIa are also tax deductible; one such hybrid fractional laser offers both red and blue light therapy to treat multiple conditions simultaneously, including healing, inflammation reduction, bacteria reduction and breakout prevention. To find out more about this groundbreaking laser technology and how it can treat common skin concerns contact Metrolina Eye Associates now to schedule your Halo consultation!
Acne
Though most are aware that beauty items, like makeup and lotion, do not qualify for FSA or HSA funding, certain skin treatments do qualify. If you need light therapy devices and have funds available in either of those accounts, using those to purchase one would save money and possibly extend its usefulness further down the line.
FSAs and HSAs allow individuals to save pretax dollars before taxes, which they can then use for reimbursement of medical expenses defined by the IRS as “items or services which diagnose, mitigate, cure, treat or prevent disease or ailments affecting any structure of the body” including laser treatments and light-based devices used on skin conditions. As these accounts allow reimbursement of these expenses without tax penalties being withheld, FSA and HSA accounts make this reimbursement available.
There is an assortment of light therapy products that you can purchase using FSA and HSA dollars, depending on your unique needs. One such product is the FDA-cleared dpl Nuve for Professional Pain Relief which can provide sore muscles relief as well as stiff joints relief when used at home or while traveling – you can purchase either red or blue light versions to meet these demands.
The dpl IIa light therapy device is another popular FDA-cleared and FSA and HSA eligible option, featuring two 5 x 7″ panels that can treat all three areas simultaneously with just three-minute sessions per area. Red and blue lights work to kill bacteria beneath the surface of skin while simultaneously decreasing inflammation and pore size – making this an excellent solution for both treating acne as well as preventing future breakouts.
As part of their FSA and HSA plans, most FSA and HSA plans require you to provide backup documentation (known as “substantiation”) for certain card transactions. This may include date of service, patient name, provider name and dollar amount as well as receipt from provider or Explanation of Benefits form from insurance plan. There may be exceptions but please check specific rules of your account for more information.
Suspected Skin Growths
Though moles, blemishes, or bumps may seem normal as you age, many can actually be harmful and require removal and biopsies from a dermatologist. An FSA or HSA can help cover these visits so any unusual-appearing growths are taken care of promptly.
Utilizing your HSA or FSA to visit the California Skin Institute to have dark or scaly spots checked out can provide peace of mind while potentially helping prevent melanomas and other forms of skin cancers from progressing further.
FSAs and HSAs can also be used to buy sunscreen products. All items containing SPF are eligible, from lip balms to tinted suncreams; you can use the online FSA store to see the complete list of eligible items. It is crucial that this expense be included in your budget since skin cancer is one of the most serious medical conditions today.
Your FSA or HSA allows you to purchase health care items that may not be covered by insurance, such as condoms, birth control pills and pregnancy tests – in addition to over-the-counter pain relievers and allergy medicines – which qualify for FSA purchases.
Notably, while many skin treatments and products qualify for reimbursement through your FSA or HSA, cosmetic procedures and products do not. As a result, your FSA or HSA won’t cover anything such as Botox injections, laser hair removal procedures, or liposuction services. However, you may still be able to finance these procedures through other means such as credit cards or Care Credit. If you have questions regarding whether a specific treatment qualifies as eligible, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so that we can arrange a private consultation appointment for you. Our knowledgeable staff is more than happy to offer guidance and can also assist in exploring financing solutions for this and other treatments we provide, so that you can take full advantage of treatments designed to bolster your self-esteem and boost confidence without having to worry about cost considerations.
Skin Cancer
FSA and HSA accounts can provide an efficient solution for covering out-of-pocket healthcare expenses that aren’t covered by an individual’s health insurance. Funds taken directly out of an employee’s paycheck before taxes are applied make these accounts an ideal way of financing healthcare needs out-of-pocket costs. While many expenses qualify, it is essential to know which don’t.
Cosmetic expenses that do not treat medical conditions cannot be paid for using these funds, such as eyelash extensions and hair extensions, plastic surgery and plastic reconstruction procedures. In certain instances, patients can still use these funds if the procedures performed correct congenital defects or restore function after an injury.
Although it is essential to remain aware of which items cannot be paid for through FSA or HSA accounts, this shouldn’t stop individuals from taking full advantage of these accounts – especially when treating common skincare conditions and issues. Luckily, these accounts offer plenty of ways for patients to utilize these funds effectively for treating themselves and others in need.
People can use FSAs not only for laser skin treatments, but also to purchase products and services to aid with sleep, exercise, and more. If a person struggles with insomnia they can find relief using non-prescription sleep aids like vaporizers, bed warmers or pillows; similarly those suffering chronic pain may find comfort from neck support pillows or aromatherapy diffusers that provide relief.
Whenever a patient notices any bump, sore, or mark that is out-of-place on their body, it is imperative that they visit a dermatologist immediately as these anomalies could be indicative of melanomas or other forms of cancer – yet these types of growths tend to be easy and affordable treatments thanks to FSAs or HSAs.
Also, individuals can use FSA and HSA funds to purchase products designed to reduce scarring from medical procedures or injuries, including trauma, surgery or burns. A scar reduction laser could help improve scars caused by trauma or surgery as well as burns.
