Can You Use Fsa For Massage
Massage therapy can definitely qualify as a medical expense. Massage therapy must however be prescribed by your doctor for it to be eligible. Massage can be used to treat a range of different medical issues including back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia and more. It can also be used to treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress. If you would like to use massage therapy as treatment you will need to explain to your doctor that you would like to use your FSA funds to pay for massage. Your doctor may then give you a prescription or Letter of Medical Necessity detailing therapeutic necessity, number of sessions and duration of treatment, which can be used to verify the expense.
How Much Will Fsa Save Me
So how much can you save on a massage by using an FSA? Using an FSA for massage therapy can save you 30-40% a year on out-of-pocket expenses. And if you really want to save big, signing up for a monthly massage membership could increase your savings even more.
The FSA savings on a year of monthly Zeel massages in Chicago*, for example, would be $429.71 off for non-members and $625.87 off for members . Thats a lot of savings! Zeel is available throughout the U.S. Check out our list of available locations where our network of therapists deliver massage near you.
If you want to see the full scope of savings with an FSA, take a look at this handy calculator to learn more.
*Chicago example based on median household income of $63,153.
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Is Massage Ever Covered By Insurance
Health insurance policies that cover remedial massage Remedial massage is covered under most health insurance extras policies. For example, of the extras policies in Canstars database, 88.5% provide remedial massage cover. On average, remedial massage is limited to $28 per claim and $230 annually per person.
Things To Keep In Mind
When requesting a massage therapy prescription from a doctor, make sure youre coming at it with the right intentions. The purpose of your health insurance is to cover medical expenses, and massage therapy can be a great way to benefit your health. Be honest when speaking with your doctor regarding your symptoms and why you think massage would be a beneficial therapy.
And for the sake of your financial health, make sure you only use your HSA or FSA for massage therapy expenses if you have a prescription from your doctor. Its also important that you keep track of your records for tax time. Zeel makes this easy by itemizing every receipt youll have a copy sent to your inbox after every massage. Weve got your back!
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When Can You Deduct Massages From Your Taxes
You may be able to deduct massages from your taxes if you are receiving the massage for a medical reason, with an official diagnosis.
Doctors are recommending massage at increasing rates. In 2016, 17% of all Americans discussed massage with a medical provider, and 63% of those doctors either referred the patient to a massage therapist, or recommended that they seek a medical massage. If a doctor, or other licensed medical practitioner, like a chiropractor, prescribes massage for a physical issue, you may be able to deduct this medical massage on your taxes.
Are Chiropractors An Fsa
The New Year is a great start to kick off your health care resolutions. Maybe you’re looking to get into better shape or want to keep tabs on your health in general.
You may have recently signed up for a Flexible Spending Account during open enrollment. An FSA is an employer-sponsored benefit account that lets you contribute pre-tax income toward health care.
After doing some preliminary research, or maybe relying on what you’ve heard, you could already be familiar with FSAs.
But, did you know which services are FSA eligible?
An FSA lets you pay for many different services. Alternative medicine such as chiropractic care is one such service that qualifies for FSA reimbursement.
A chiropractic visit, exam, or treatment would then be covered by an FSA as long as the purpose is to treat a medical condition and not for general good health. Transportation to and from the chiropractor could also be considered eligible.
FSA Eligible Expense Qualifications
The IRS makes an important distinction between services for medical necessity vs. services or products that benefit general health. A massage may not qualify with your FSA unless recommended by your doctor, who provides a letter of medical necessity .
However, your FSA plan will outline very specifically which FSA-eligible expenses qualify meaning which costs you will be reimbursed for. You can find general guidelines on FSA eligibility through the IRS via
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When Are Massages Not Tax
You cannot deduct a massage from your taxes if you decided to pay for it with an HSA or FSA account.
According to the IRS, medical expenses paid for with an HSA or FSA cannot be deducted though that doesnt mean its a bad idea to use HSA/FSA money for a massage, of course.
You also cannot deduct a massage that you received for a non-medical reason, or for a medical reason not officially diagnosed by a medical professional.
There are many valid reasons to get massage that have nothing to do with a specific health issue massage is great for overall stress relief and relaxation, for example, or to improve running performance with a sports massage. However, while massage can certainly improve your overall physical and mental health by boosting immunity, improving mood, and helping you get better sleep, these reasons are not good enough for the IRS to grant you a deduction.
How To Get Hsa/fsa Approval For Massage Therapy:
First, we recommend that you check with your companys health benefits co-ordinator to see if your plan allows for Therapeutic Massage.
Next, contact your medical doctors office and let them know that you have HSA/FSA funds that you would like to use for massage therapy for treatment/prevention of your condition.
Your physician will need to provide three pieces of information on the prescription:
Once youve obtained the prescription, you can contact us to make your massage appointment. After your first massage we will email your invoice/receipt so that you can be reimbursed for your treatment.
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Fsa Eligible: Medical Supplies
The main rule with FSA purchases is that they must be used for qualified medical expenses, but that encompasses a broader range of products and services than you might think, according to Paul Sundin, CPA. He is a tax strategist for Estate CPA, based in Chandler, Arizona.
Right now, the best items for your FSA money are medical-related supplies, he says. And remember that those supplies dont have to be only for you they can also cover your spouse and dependents. According to Sundin, those might include:
If you have kids at home, this is a great time to stock up on supplies that run that gamut of needs, from lotions that prevent diaper rash to childrens sunscreen.
Even some products that might seem indulgent may qualify, says New Jerseybased Jenna VanLeeuwen, CFP, a financial planner for Aligning Wealth, a financial services advisory firm. One of my favorite ways to use up FSA dollars is to buy high-quality facial sunscreens, she says. Tinted moisturizers with SPF do not qualify, but facial sunscreens without tints are FSA-eligible. However, the sunscreen must be SPF 30 or greater to qualify.
Refill medications, schedule a virtual visit, or shop for health essentials all from the comfort of home.
Do You Accept Fsa And Hsa Cards
Yes, our credit card processing system in the office is able to accept FSA and HSA cards. The IRS cites, Medical expenses are the costs of diagnosis, curetreatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body. They further state that medical care expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness . Examples of medical issues that may qualify include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, pain management, back pain, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, stress, sciatica, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
While it is not necessary on our end, in order to avoid any auditing issues, we recommend that you visit with your medical practitioner, and let him/her know that you have an FSA or HSA that you would like to access for massage in the treatment or prevention of your particular concern. Your practitioner will need to give three key pieces of information:
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How Can I Use An Hsa/fsa To Cover My Massage
No matter whether you have an HSA or FSA, massage therapy is usually considered a legitimate medical expense by most insurance companies. Still, to be sure, check with your carrier or ask an HR representative at work because some plans do not cover massage, even with a doctors prescription. However, this is not common and most people encounter no difficulty paying for their massage with their HSA or FSA.
After your insurance company confirms that it does endorse massage therapy as medical treatment, call your primary care physician to ask about adding massage to your wellness or treatment plan. Many doctors are willing to provide the prescription through a simple call and do not require you to make an appointment. However, some may still want you to come in so that you can go over your reasons for requesting massage therapy. If you want any help, Dr. McClain who works with us can assist.
Whether or not your doctor wants to see you in person, s/he will probably want specifics about your symptoms. Massage therapy offers beneficial effects for a wide variety of conditions: back pain, stress, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, arthritis, and poor circulation as a complication of diabetes are just some of the symptoms that can be alleviated by massage.
For many insurance plans, a doctors prescription is needed in order for massage to qualify as a legitimate expense for an HSA or FSA.
Is My Massage Eligible For Fsa/hsa
FSA & HSA funds can pay for virtually any type of medical service. The service needs to pertain to the treatment or prevention of a specific health condition.
Massage therapy can be a qualified medical expense if a health care professional recommends it with a written prescription.
Some examples that can qualify include carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic stress, & back pain. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, in addition to anxiety & depression can be considered a qualified expense.
We only take FSA/HSA payments. We do not bill for Medical Insurance.
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Is My Massage Eligible For Fsa
According to the IRS regulations for medical expenses, medical care expenditures must be used to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental condition. Some of the ailments that qualify for FSA spending include:
- Back Pain
- Anxiety
- Depression
If you are experiencing any of these conditions and you want to use massage therapy for treatment or prevention, then you may be eligible to use your flex spending account if you have a prescription from a doctor
Why Bother With An Hsa Or Fsa
HSAs and FSAs offer many benefits, the biggest of which is saving you money. Also, while no one wants to think about being in an accident or having a major health problem, medical emergencies do happen, and so it can add to your peace of mind to have some money set aside in case of unforeseen health expenses.
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Using Hsa And Fsa Debit Cards To Pay For Massage Therapy
Did you know Massage therapists in Washington State are Health Care Providers? Licensed Massage Therapists must complete 700 hours of education. They must also pass a state board exam to get licensed. Since we are licensed health care providers in Olympia, WA, our services are qualified as a medical expense for your Health Savings accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.
Here is all you need to do:
- Get a prescription, letter of medical necessity, or a doctors directive on record to verify the qualified medical expenses.
- Schedule your service with any one of our licensed massage therapists.
- At the time of Payment, we run your card with a specialized code that we set up with our merchant account system.
Please keep in mind that our retail products are not qualified and will have to be purchased separately from the service your purchasing on the card. We can also use your card to pay for our highly-rated monthly massage memberships.
Helpful tips before coming in using your HSA and FSA debit cards:
- Be sure the card is activated.
- Make sure there are sufficient funds in the account.
- Be sure only to purchase qualified services on your card.
To ensure that your HSA or FSA debit card will work at your visit, or If your card declined, you should contact your card issuer.
Getting A Prescription For Massage Therapy
If you want to use massage therapy to treat or prevent a physical or mental ailment, you will first need to make an appointment with your primary care doctor or chiropractor. Explain to him or her that you have an FSA and would like to use some of the funds for massage therapy to treat or prevent the condition that you are experiencing.
Under IRS regulations, your physician will need to include the following information on your prescription in order for it to qualify for FSA funds:
- Therapeutic Necessity Why do you need massage therapy services? This may be to relieve stress and anxiety, to relieve back or neck pain, or even to prevent certain conditions that you may be prone to due to your occupation or activity level.
- Number of Sessions per month How frequent do you need treatment? Many clients see benefits from 1 to 2 sessions per month, but your doctor or massage therapist can help recommend how many sessions are appropriate. You can also check in with your doctor regularly to adjust session amounts.
- Duration of Treatment How long should you continue receiving treatment? Again, this will vary. Your doctor or chiropractor will be able to recommend the appropriate duration, and again, you can check in with your physician periodically to adjust session duration.
After you have the prescription, you should keep this with you for tax purposes. If you ever need to verify the expense, you will have the prescription right there in your files.
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What Is A Health Savings Or Flexible Spending Account
A Health Savings Account is a type of savings account that allows you to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses, but is generally tied to a High Deductible Health Plan . A Flexible Spending Account is a a special account you put money into that you use to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care costs that is also tax-free. Any modality massage therapy that is prescribed by a medical professional is considered a qualified medical expense under many plans.
An HSA is great way to get the most out of your High Deductible Health Plan. Your HSA allows you to save up money in case disaster strikes while maintaining the lower monthly payments of an HDHP. These funds can be used in conjunction with health insurance to provide the best overall care by allowing for services that may not be covered by health insurance, like massage therapy for injury recovery or helping improve circulation hampered by diabetes.
A Health Savings Account and a Flexible Spending Account are both pre-taxed payroll deductions. In other words, less of your pay check is taxed which lowers your taxable income. A Health Savings Account and/or Flexible Spending Account can beneficially impact the amount of taxes you may owe or get back at the end of the year.
Using Hsa Or Fsa Funds To Pay For Massage Therapy
Therapeutic massage has many proven health benefits, including improving circulation and reducing blood pressure, decreasing inflammation and pain, and reducing stress and tension.
Examples of conditions helped by massage therapy include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, stress, hypertension, back pain, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain management.
You have likely experienced these restorative and pain-relieving benefits for yourself, and have wondered how you might be able to incorporate regular massage therapy into your budget. One way to make regular massages more accessible is by using Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account funds to pay for your sessions.
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What Are Fsa And Hsa
Before we dive into the process of using your FSA or HSA for a massage, lets have a brief overview of what these are.
FSAs and HSAs are types of healthcare plans that enable you to save money for qualified medical expenses such as monthly prescriptions, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
You can get a comprehensive list of costs eligible as medical expenses from the IRS. You can also have your employer contribute money to your FSA or HSA yearly.
Usually, both of these healthcare arrangements are linked to a debit card with your contributions included. Although FSAs and HSAs differ in some aspects such as roll-over, they generally work the same when it comes to paying for a massage.