HSA and FSA
Did you know your health care savings account and flexible spending accounts funds both eligible for massage therapy as long as physician recommends it with a written prescription. The IRS ruling states that medical care expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental ailment. Examples of illnesses that qualify include carpal tunnel syndrome, stress, back pain, arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression and pain management.
How to use
If you suffer from one of the above conditions (and who isn’t stressed?), all you need to do to set up massage as a qualifying expense is pay a visit to your medical practitioner. Let him or her know that you have an FSA or HSA and you’d like to use some of your funds toward massage for treatment or prevention of your condition.
Your physician will need to provide three pieces of information on the prescription:
- Medical necessity: why you need massage therapy (example: to relieve back pain)
- Frequency: number of sessions per month (example: minimum of two sessions per month)
- Duration: length of treatment (example: 12 months)
Once you’ve obtained the prescription, file it away in case you are ever asked to back up the expense. It’s not necessary to bring the prescription to us but you should bring your FlexCard (if you have one) to pay for your next visit. If you don’t have a FlexCard, simply pay for your massages and turn in your receipts for reimbursement. Note that you can’t include tips or pay for your entire membership upfront.
Planning for Next Year
During the fourth quarter is when many people designate how much money to set aside in their FSA for the next year. In your financial planning, don’t forget to include the cost of your Massage visits in the total amount. You also can set aside money for massage therapy for a spouse, if he or she has a qualifying medical condition. For each person, you could save $17 to $27 a month in taxes, and that’s enough to relax anyone.