16 great ways to spend your healthcare FSA

What is a healthcare FSA?

A healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an employer-sponsored benefit that allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars from your paycheck to pay for eligible healthcare expenses. It is a powerful tool to stretch your budget and lower your taxable income.

Your healthcare FSA typically comes with a debit card, such as the HealthEquity® Visa®¹ Card, which you can use at doctor’s offices or pharmacies. If you don’t have your card available, simply save your receipt, upload a copy, and submit it for reimbursement.

Getting Reimbursed: What You Need

To get your money back quickly, your documentation (receipt or explanation of benefits) must contain these five specific items:

1. Patient name
2. Provider name
3. Date of service
4. Type of service
5. Cost

Tip: Credit card receipts often lack this detail. Always ask for an itemized receipt.

FSA spending guide: 16 eligible expenses

Looking for ways to spend your balance this year? Here are 16 great FSA-eligible expenses to help you care for yourself and your family while stretching every dollar further.

1. Doctor visits

Co-pays and deductibles can add up. Your FSA helps you pay for necessary doctor visits and consultations with pre-tax funds.

2. Telehealth visits

Can’t make it to the office? Many plans cover telehealth visits just like in-person appointments, offering a convenient and affordable way to see a provider.

3. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications

You don’t need a prescription for many medicine cabinet staples. FSAs can be used for pain relievers, cough medicine, sleep aids, allergy medications, and more.

4. Dental care

Dental work is expensive. Whether you need a routine cleaning, a root canal, or braces for your teenager, your FSA can help cover out-of-pocket dental costs that insurance doesn’t pay.

5. Vision care

Eye health is essential. Use your funds for eye exams, prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, and even LASIK surgery.

6. Diabetes management

Managing diabetes requires daily supplies. Your FSA covers testing monitors, test strips, alcohol swabs, and sharps disposal containers.

7. Weight loss management

Weight loss medications, including oral and injectable GLP-1 medications, are eligible healthcare expenses with a prescription. You can pay for clinician visits and your GLP-1 medications with an FSA.²

8. Fitness trackers

Fitness trackers provide insight into activity levels, heart rate, sleep patterns, and other metrics so you can better understand what your body needs. Devices like Oura Ring are eligible with a Letter of Medical Necessity.

9. Women’s health products

You can use FSA dollars for menstrual products, including tampons, pads, liners, and cups. Birth control, contraceptives, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) are also eligible with a prescription.

10. Fertility treatment

If you are growing your family, you can use your FSA to cover certain fertility treatments. Be sure to get a Letter of Medical Necessity from your provider.

11. Baby and nursing gear

New parents can save on essentials. Your FSA covers items like baby breathing monitors, baby sunscreen, and diaper rash cream. Breastfeeding supplies — including breast pumps, nursing pads, and milk storage bags or bottles — are also eligible.

12. Vasectomy

Your family planning decisions are covered. FSAs cover the costs associated with a vasectomy, as well as vasectomy reversals if you decide to have children later.

13. Hearing aids

Hearing technology is life-changing but costly. You can defray the cost of hearing aids, batteries, and maintenance using your pre-tax funds.

14. Smoking cessation

Ready to quit? Smoking cessation programs, prescription medications, and OTC nicotine gum or patches count as eligible healthcare expenses.

15. First-aid supplies

Safety first. From bandages and antibiotic ointment to fully stocked travel first-aid kits, your FSA helps you be ready for life’s little emergencies.

16. Sunscreen

Protect your skin year-round. Sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher and broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection are eligible healthcare expenses.

Check out our searchable list of FSA Qualified Medical Expenses to find even more great ways to spend your FSA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use my FSA for vitamins? A: Generally, vitamins and supplements are only eligible if prescribed to treat a specific medical condition. You will likely need a Letter of Medical Necessity for reimbursement.

Q: Can I use my FSA for my spouse or children? A: Yes. You can use your funds for eligible healthcare expenses for your spouse and your tax dependents, even if they are not covered by your health insurance plan.

Q: What’s the difference between an FSA and an HSA? A: An FSA is employer-owned and subject to a use-it-or-lose-it rule. An HSA (Health Savings Account) is owned by you, requires a specific type of health plan, and the funds never expire — they stay with you even if you change employers or retire.

Learn more: HSA vs FSA: Which account is right for me?

Q: What is the FSA “use-it-or-lose-it” rule? A: Because your employer owns the FSA account, there is a “use-it-or-lose-it” rule. Generally, any funds you haven’t spent by the end of the plan year return to your employer. However, many employers offer protections to help you keep your money:

• Carryover option: This lets you move a specific amount of remaining funds into the next plan year.
• Grace period: This gives you extra time (usually 2.5 months) after the plan year ends to spend your balance.

Check your specific plan documents to see which option applies to you so you can plan your spending accordingly.

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Ready to shop? Visit the FSA Store and other retailers like Amazon.³