Year-End Focus on You
Now is exactly the right season to make the most of your
remaining FSA dollars
By Kathryn Stewart
Healthcare costs aren't nearly as fun to save for as a beach
vacation or a flat-screen TV. But with a flexible savings account
(FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you can save money-
tax-free-from each paycheck and use the funds toward your
therapeutic massages. It's important to make the most of the funds
you have already allocated-especially in the case of FSAs, which
give the funds back to your employer if the dollars aren't used by
the end of the calendar year.
Never heard of these abbreviations? That's because FSAs and HSAs
are relatively new. They are a key part of an emerging system of
consumer- driven healthcare.
If you have an FSA, here's how it works: Usually during the
fourth quarter of the year your employer conducts open enrollment,
during which you plan how much money you will need to set aside for
the following year's medical expenses. When the new year starts,
your designated funds are withdrawn from each paycheck in small
increments and placed into a special account. An HSA works much in
the same manner but is tied to a High Deductible Healthcare Plan
(HDHP). With an HSA, unused funds roll over to the next year and
accumulate. Because these plans are funded with pretax dollars, you
and your employer can save hundreds of dollars in federal, FICA and
state taxes.
"Both employers and individuals are embracing consumer-directed
plans not only for the tax-savings benefits but for the reduction
of monthly medical premiums," says Jesse Curry, vice president of
National Wellness Development at Massage Envy. "You're taking
control of what qualified medical expenses you want to pay for." If
the money comes out of your personal account, you'll think
differently about how to spend it.
Is My Massage Eligible?
" Massage
therapy can be a qualified medical expense," Curry says, as
long as a physician recommends it with a written prescription. The
IRS ruling states that medical care expenses must be primarily to
alleviate or prevent a physical or mental ailment. Examples of
illnesses that qualify include carpal tunnel syndrome, stress, back
pain, arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, fibromyalgia, chronic
fatigue, anxiety, depression and pain management.
First Steps
If you suffer from one of the above conditions (and who isn't
stressed?), all you need to do to set up massage as a qualifying
expense is pay a visit to your medical practitioner. Let him or her
know that you have an FSA or HSA and you'd like to use some of your
funds toward massage for treatment or prevention of your
condition.
Your physician will need to provide three pieces of information
on the prescription:
1. Medical necessity: why you need massage therapy (example: to
relieve back pain)
2. Frequency: number of sessions per month (example: minimum of
two sessions per month)
3. Duration: length of treatment (example: 12 months)
Once you've obtained the prescription, file it away in case you
are ever asked to back up the expense. It's not necessary to bring
the prescription to Massage Envy, but you should bring your
FlexCard (if you have one) to pay for your next visit. If you don't
have a FlexCard, simply pay for our massages and turn in your
receipts for reimbursement. Note that you can't include tips or pay
for your entire membership upfront.
Planning for Next Year
During the fourth quarter is when many people designate how much
money to set aside in their FSA for the next year. In your
financial planning, don't forget to include the cost of your
Massage Envy visits in the total amount. You also can set aside
money for massage therapy for a spouse, if he or she has a
qualifying medical condition. For each person, you could save $17
to $27 a month in taxes, and that's enough to relax anyone.