The prospect of eye surgery can be daunting not only because it’s a medical procedure, but because it can be expensive. Don’t let either of these things prevent you from receiving the sight-preserving surgery you need. Find out how a Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can help you pay for your eye surgery.
What is HSA?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a savings account that allows you to set aside money for medical needs pre-tax. HSAs are only available with high deductible health insurance plans. The funds are yours to keep and will roll over with you into the new year. But these funds are not available to spend until they have been added to your account.
What is FSA?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an employee account that allows you to deposit money in order to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses such as insurance copayments and deductibles, qualified prescription drugs and medical devices. You do not pay taxes on this money. This means you’ll save an amount equal to the taxes you would have paid on the money you set aside.
FSA money is ‘use it or lose it,’ meaning that you must use the money in your FSA within the plan year. However, your employer may decide to provide a grace period of up to 2.5 extra months to utilize the funds, or permit you to carry over up to $500 per year to use the next year, according to HealthCare.gov.
“Your employer can offer either one of these options but not both. It’s not required to offer either one,” the government website notes.
Can HSA and FSA Benefits Be Used for Eye Surgery?
Yes, eye surgery is eligible for reimbursement with both an HSA and an FSA. Any eye surgery for vision correction, improvement, or the treatment of a condition or disease related to eye health or eyesight falls under that category.
These accounts can also be used to pay for eye exams, prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, as well as contact lenses.
Whether you are considering LASIK, cataract or glaucoma surgery, you can use your HSA or FSA funds to cover part or all of your treatment.
The first step toward using your HSA or FSA is to visit your eye doctor, who will provide you with a thorough exam and advise you on whether you are a suitable candidate for eye surgery. Your doctor will discuss the cost of your treatment and explain how to best utilize your HSA or FSA.
Contact Wesson and Mothershed Eye Center to book a consultation to learn more about how you can use your benefits to pay for your surgery.
Wesson and Mothershed Eye Center serves patients from Tupelo, New Albany..Saltillo...Fulton, throughout Mississippi.
- https://www.irs.gov/publications/p502#en_US_2019_publink1000263793
- https://www.healthcare.gov/have-job-based-coverage/flexible-spending-accounts/
- https://fsastore.com/FSA-Eligibility-List/E/Eye-Surgery-E292.aspx