It's that time of year again…already. Time to start thinking about end-of-year financial issues. As this year draws to a close you need to think about any last minute charitable donations, retirement account contributions, and of course you need to get rid of any health care dollars that you can't carry into next year.
It's also time to think about how much you want to allocate to pre-tax health care deductions for the coming year and those deductions can be a great tool for funding your natural health priorities in the coming year.
A flexible spending account can be a great tool and this past year you could contribute up to $2,500 but you can only carry $500 of that into the new year if your plan allows it. Otherwise, that money is use-it-or-lose-it and losing it is ridiculous.
Luckily for you, we've scoured the list of qualified expenses at one of the large health insurer websites and we've come up with a list of expenses that are qualified and fit with a natural health lifestyle.
These expenses fall into two general categories, either they are simply allowed or you need a letter of medical necessity from your doctor. It's often the case that the treatment must be directly related to a medical condition that you have, but that's a low hurdle. Also, remember that health care insurers have their own takes on what is or isn't allowed so do check with your specific provider before running out and spending. For example, our family's insurer requires a letter of medical necessity for the use of alternative medicine even though it's listed here as simply allowed.
Eligible Expenses
- Acupuncture
- Alternative Medicine or Alternative Healers
- Chiropractors
- Neti Pot
- Osteopaths
Eligible with Letter of Medical Necessity
- Acupressure
- Air Filter or Air Purifier
- Cranio-Sacral Therapy
- Dietician
- Fitness/Gym Membership (Health plans often have coverage for this outside of your FSA plan as well)
- Hydrotherapy
- Kinesiology
- Life Coaches
- Massage Therapy
- Pedometers
- Personal Trainers
- Rolfing
- Supplements (herbs, minerals, vitamins, etc.)
Did we miss anything? Have you been able to spend flex dollars on natural health in the past in ways that we didn't mention? If so please leave a comment below. We'd like this to be a comprehensive resource for those looking for ways to stay physically and financially fit!