Over-the-Counter Expenses
Over-the-Counter (OTC) products are eligible for reimbursement from your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, if the OTC product is for medical care and primarily for a medical purpose. Expenses or procedures that are directed at improving a person’s appearance, or the primary purpose of the product is to improve the general health of an individual, are not considered expenses for medical care and not eligible for reimbursement.
- Approved OTC Products
- Dual Purpose OTC Products
- Ineligible OTC Products
- Supporting Documentation Requirement
- Disclaimer
Approved OTC Products
The primary purpose of these products is for medical care and for a medical purpose. The following products are eligible for reimbursement.
- Allergy medication/spray
- Antacid and acid reducer
- Anti-diarraheal medication
- Anti-fungal spray/ointment/cream
- Anti-itch lotions and cream
- Bandages/band-aids
- Blood Pressure Monitor
- Cold remedies
- Cold Sore/Fever Blister
- Contact Lens Solution
- Contraceptives
- Cough Drops/Syrup
- Crutches
- Eye Drops for Allergy/Cold Relief
- Gastro-intestinal medicine
- Gauze pads
- Glucose Monitor
- Hemorrhoid suppositories/cream
- Hot/Cold packs
- Incontinence products
- Laxative
- Menstrual Cycle Medication
- Muscle & joint cream/gel
- Nasal spray (decongestant/allergy)
- Pain relievers
- Pregnancy Test/Ovulation Test
- Reading glasses
- Rubbing alcohol
- Smoking cessation aids and products
- Sunburn ointment/cream
- Syringes
- Test Strips
- Toothache and teething pain reliever
- Throat lozenges/spray
- Vaporizer
Dual Purpose OTC Products
These products have both a medical purpose and a personal/cosmetic or general health purpose. To be considered for reimbursement, a letter from a physician prescribing the OTC medication stating the medical condition that is being treated is required.
- Acne treatment/medication
- Dental fluoride treatments
- Dietary supplements (ie: vitamins)
- Fiber supplements
- Herbal supplements
- Nose strips for proper breathing
- Orthopedic inserts
- Sleeping Aids
- Snoring cessation aids and medication
Ineligible OTC Products
These products are considered cosmetic or used primarily for general health purposes. The following products are not eligible for reimbursement, even with a letter from a physician.
- Cosmetics
- Deodorants
- Face creams & cleansers
- Feminine hygiene products
- Hair removal treatments and waxes
- Lip products (ie: Chapstick, Carmex)
- Lotions & Moisturizers
- Mouthwash, antiseptics and oral anesthetics
- Multi-Vitamins
- Sundry Items (ie: cotton balls/Q-tips)
- Sunscreen
- Teeth whitening kits and products
- Toiletries (ie: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush)
- Wrinkle reducers
Supporting Documentation Requirement
BenefitHelp Solutions will require an itemized grocery/drug store or pharmacy receipt that includes the name of the specific OTC product that was purchased. The receipt must also have the location and the date purchased. The IRS does not allow a generic receipt with a copy of the packaging as acceptable documentation. If the receipt does not list the specific OTC product, we cannot reimburse the expense.
BenefitHelp Solutions has prepared these guidelines of OTC medical items based on its current
interpretation of the recent IRS rulings in conjunction with current laws
regarding healthcare FSAs. BenefitHelp Solutions reserves the right to make changes to
these guidelines at any time and without prior notice.
It is not intended that these guidelines contain all reimbursable OTC
medical items.
