Purchasing catheters with a FSA?

[jj1987]

Anyone know if purchasing catheters is an approved expense for a FSA? I haven't been to the doctor this year, so I have $$$ I need to burn off of it that I will lose Jan 2012.

I found this link which doesn't specify-
https://www.healthhub.com/MyDashboar...pensesOTC.aspx

And then this link which are prohibited expenses, not on there either
https://www.healthhub.com/MyDashboar...pensesOTC.aspx

[Art Greenberg]

I've checked a few sites that specialize in medical supplies for FSA/HSA purchases, and I see lots of incontinence supplies, but nary a catheter to be found. So I suspect the answer is "no".

I'd thought that since OTC medications now require a prescription to be FSA/HSA eligible perhaps supplies would also need a prescription, but that does not appear to be the case.

--
Art

[Sludge]

perhaps supplies would also need a prescription

I'm sure your cave instructor will write you one.

[jj1987]

I'm sure your cave instructor will write you one.

I'll have to ask my doctor-- there are times in my week to week life when I legitimately cannot make it to a bathroom due to bladder size. We'll see how that goes

The RX for OTC products is silly. So those of us who pay our health insurance and save for expenses have to pay income taxes on medical needs that we're not going to the doctor (thereby raising insurance premiums, which are said to be out of hand in this country) for-- while those who supposedly represent us are fighting hard for those who don't pay a dime to get healthcare? sigh.

[DA Aquamaster]

You know there are ethical issues involved here....

Whether you can do it or not, does not make it right to use pre tax HSA dollars to buy "medical" supplies that you won't be using for medical purposes.

Personally, I'm not going to compromise my integrity for the price of a box of 100 condom catheters.

Of course, I also don't file "colorable" tax returns as some people do who rely on an audit rate that is only 2% just to save some money and avoid their fair share of taxes.

It sucks to lose HSA dollars, but its the risk you knowingly take when you estimate how much you'll need any given year.

I guess it's all a matter of how far you want to stretch your definitions of right and wrong.

[jj1987]

You know there are ethical issues involved here....

Whether you can do it or not, does not make it right to use pre tax HSA dollars to buy "medical" supplies that you won't be using for medical purposes.

Larry,

Condoms are approved, which are in no way necessary, so I'd have to read the definition of medical expense before determining it's unethical. I'm sure you already know since you've declared it an ethical issue, so can you share the definition?

Found this site that implies they're FSA approved
http://fsastore.com/Catheters-C244.aspx

[KarsticGator]

Condoms are approved, which are in no way necessary, so I'd have to read the definition of medical expense before determining it's unethical. I'm sure you already know since you've declared it an ethical issue, so can you share the definition?

There is a difference between ethical and illegal behavior. In as much, something could be legal and still be unethical. Your question regarding the use of a MEDICAL flex spending account to reimburse DIVING expenses demonstrates an intent to deceive federal FSA regulations, and while you may interpret the action as legal, most objective people would still view it as unethical. In addition, I'm scratching my head as to why you would even post this question on the forum as you already have your mind made up.

The RX for OTC products is silly. So those of us who pay our health insurance and save for expenses have to pay income taxes on medical needs that we're not going to the doctor (thereby raising insurance premiums, which are said to be out of hand in this country) for-- while those who supposedly represent us are fighting hard for those who don't pay a dime to get healthcare? sigh

If I were you, I'd get my own house in order (see above) before I claim to be better than a politician.

[jj1987]

In addition, I'm scratching my head as to why you would even post this question on the forum as you already have your mind made up.

Posting because I don't know the definition of eligible expenses and cannot find it. If you can find it, I'd love to read it.

My intent isn't to break the law, it's to understand it. Condoms are NOT a medical expense, yet everywhere I've read online, they're an approved use of funds. Do you consider buying condoms with the funds unethical? Sunscreen is approved, which can be used to/from the dive site, is it unethical to buy that? ****** is approved, is that unethical?

If other recreational items were not allowed, I wouldn't be asking about buying a recreational item with FSA account. However that isn't the case, hence the question.

Edit - "the purple pill" (starts with a Viag and ends with an ra) is what I said above that got censored, not profanity.

[JamesK]

If you are not using items for their intended purpose, then yes, in my opinion it is unethical. If you use condoms purchased with that money to put on the muzzle of your firearms to keep rain out, unethical.

[DA Aquamaster]

James I work with people who use condom caths as they lack bladder control (paraplegia and quadraplegia) and with people with the same disabilities who use foley caths every day to allow their bladder to completely empty to avoid further medical complications.

THOSE individuals are the reason that catheters are an allowable HSA expense. The regulations that allow them to be purchased as an allowable medical expense and the congressional intent behind the authorizing legislation was clearly not intended to allow James, Cave Diver, to save a few dollars cave diving.

To in any way try to capitalize on an FSA account and apply it to your diving related condom caths is insulting to people who have to use them for legitimate medical reasons and who use an FSA to offset disability related expenses.

I guess if there is an upside to this it's that you are only a DCS hit away from potentially having to use them for legitimate medical reasons....

To state you are only trying to "understand" the rules suggests you are at least considering what most reasonable people would consider to be unethical behavior or you are an idiot. I'll let you choose.

Sunscreen, etc are similarly allowed for similar health related reasons for persons who are sun sensitive due to side effects of meds, a few specific skin conditions or due to elevated risk of skin cancer. They are not on the approved list so you can go hang out on the beach and work on a tan. But at least in that case there is some preventative medical benefit for the user.

****** is on the list for people who need it to achieve normal function but not for people who just want to enhance normal performance. In one case it's obviously ethical to use HSA money for it and in the other it's obviously not.

It's not rocket science.