NEW YORK, March 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- For millions of Americans with a flexible spending account (FSA), 2018 isn't over quite yet.
Many FSAs are subject to the "use-it-or-lose-it" rule, which means that any money left in the account by the plan year deadline (usually December 31), is forfeited back to the employer that sponsored the account. But employers have an option to give employees some deadline relief by offering an FSA Grace Period, which gives employees another two-and-a-half months or until March 15 to spend down their remaining 2018 funds. According to the 2018 SHRM Employee Benefits Report, 37 percent of FSA users had a Grace Period extension in 2018, up from 32 percent in 2017, and is fast-becoming the most popular option for employers.
So whether an individual has $100 or $1000 left to spend, we have a 3/15 FSA Grace Period Buying Guide for that! Here's a taste of how you can spend your unused FSA funds at FSAstore.com and help support individual and family health and wellness:
1. Cold & Allergy Season is coming
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, your least favorite part of the year is just around the corner. In addition to over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines (prescription is required), FSAs can cover nasal irrigation products, saline nose wipes, vaporizers and more to help you navigate the worst of your seasonal allergy symptoms.
2. Boost your sun care regimen
Proper skin care is a year-round job, and your FSA will cover sun care products as long as they are SPF 15+ and offer broad spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays. That includes sunscreen for all ages, mineral sunscreen, sun protective lip balm and more.
3. Never miss leg day
Do you have pain or soreness after a workout? Use your FSA to cover a range of rehabilitative products so you can stay on track to your fitness goals, including hot/cold packs, TENS machines, KT Tape, elastic bandages, athletic braces and more.
4. Stay on top of your wellness with hi-tech health products
FSAs cover a wide range of qualifying diagnostic health products, so whether you're looking to better manage a disease/chronic condition or need a better view into your current state of health, diagnostic products are a smart way to spend your remaining flex dollars. Some of our most popular sellers include the Qardio Blood Pressure Monitor, Intellinetix Vibrating Arthritis Gloves and the Ultimate Foot Circulator.
5. Discover drug-free pain relief
Whether you suffer from acute or chronic pain issues, FSAs cover a surprisingly large selection of drug-free pain relief products, including acupressure mats & pillows, pain relief eye masks, heating pads, TENS therapy and more. And if you're traveling in the near future, an orthopedic neck pillows can ward of neck and shoulder pain with your tax-free funds.
6. Explore the great outdoors...safely
The FSA Grace Period arrives 5 days before the first day of spring, so if you and your loved ones plan to explore the great outdoors, consider FSA-eligible first-aid supplies and first-aid kits to suit any budget. We also carry trail-ready Adventure Medical Kits that can handle the rigors of outdoor environments.
7. Discover light therapy
Light therapy devices are a natural way to treat acne and skin imperfections using multiple wavelengths of blue light to eliminate bacteria on the skin to prevent acne breakouts. Customers can use their FSA funds to purchase a range of light therapy products, from portable spot treatments to at-home professional treatment systems.
8. Calm acid reflux
Our hottest seller of 2018 (and into this year) has been our MedCline Acid Reflux System, which alters your sleeping position for a drug-free solution to treat nighttime acid reflux. The popular Medcline LP Shoulder Relief System helps alleviate pain from side sleeping, as well as acute and chronic pain issues -- and it's FSA-eligible!
About FSAstore.com
FSAstore.com is flex spending with zero guesswork. It's both the largest online marketplace for guaranteed FSA-eligible products and an educational resource that you can actually understand. It's the company's mission to help millions of FSA holders manage and use their accounts, and save on more than 4,000 health items using tax-free funds.
About Health-E Commerce
Health-E Commerce is the parent company of FSAstore.com, HSAstore.com and WellDeserved, a family of brands that serve the 60+ million consumers with pre-tax health and wellness accounts. The company has also created Caring Mill, a popular private-label line of health products that benefits Children's Health Fund and enables customers to make a donation with each purchase. Since 2010, the company's brands have led the direct-to-consumer e-commerce market for pre-tax health and wellness benefits. Health-E Commerce plays an essential role in expanding product eligibility for important new categories within the IRS-approved list of eligible medical expenses like sunscreen and breast pumps. The company leads a committee of industry experts to promote the important national conversation around product safety and authenticity.
SOURCE Health-E Commerce
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