Mobility products, such as wheelchairs, scooters (including powered and electric wheelchairs ans scooters), and walkers, are essential for individuals with disabilities or mobility issues. These products not only help people move around freely but also help people continue with their life, uninhibited. However, mobility products can be expensive, which can put a significant financial burden on families.
Thankfully, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) can help offset the costs of mobility products. Below, we'll explore what FSAs are, how they work, and which mobility products are eligible for FSA reimbursement.
What are FSAs?
An FSA is an employer-sponsored benefit that allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified medical expenses. This money is deducted from your paycheck before taxes are taken out each pay period, which lowers your taxable income and saves you money on taxes. FSAs are a great way to pay for regular healthcare costs you would have otherwise paid out of pocket and may not be covered by insurance.
How do FSAs work?
At the beginning of each plan year, FSA accountholders have to determine how much money to contribute to their FSA for the year. This money will be deducted from each paycheck in equal installments throughout the year. The contributed funds in your FSA can be used to pay for eligible medical expenses, including mobility products.
When using your FSA card on BuyFSA, we take care of all the heavy lifting and you can complete your FSA purchases without any hassle of submitting receipts on the BuyFSA app or website.
What mobility products are eligible for FSA reimbursement?
Mobility products, including wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and canes, are all eligible for FSA reimbursement. In addition, certain modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability or mobility issue may also be eligible for reimbursement (such as wheelchair/walker ramps and assistive devices for your car).
It's important to note that not all mobility products are eligible for FSA reimbursement. For example, a motorized skateboard or scooter used (or could be used) for recreational purposes would not be considered an approved FSA expense. It is always recommended to check with your FSA administrator or contact your HR department to ensure that your mobility product is eligible for reimbursement. Or if you decide to shop at BuyFSA, you can shop with the guarantee that all items are FSA-approved.
How to use your FSA to pay for mobility products
To use your FSA to pay for mobility products with BuyFSA, you'll ensure the products are approved FSA expenses and won't have issues when it comes to submitting receipts or getting reimbursed. To buy powered scooters, wheelchairs or walkers on BuyFSA, you'll need to take the following steps.- Purchase any listed mobility product using your FSA card or regular credit card
- If you use your FSA card, you're all set and the FSA purchase is complete, otherwise, you have to save the BuyFSA order confirmation which can be submitted to your FSA administrator as a claim for reimbursement. The BuyFSA Order Confirmation email contains all the information needed for reimbursement.
- Wait for reimbursement. Depending on your FSA plan admin, reimbursement may be automatic, or you may need to wait for approval from your plan administrator.
FSAs are a great way to offset the often high cost of mobility products. By understanding what mobility products are FSA approved and how to use your FSA to pay for these products, you can save money on a whole range of mobility products. If you have any questions about FSA eligibility or how to use your FSA to pay for mobility products, visit our Contact page to get assistance from our team of FSA experts.