YOUR FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT PROGRAM:
KNOW WHAT’S ELIGIBLE AND WHAT’S NOT ELIGIBLE
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
NOT ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
Copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles
Acupuncture
Alcoholism
Ambulance
Artificial limb
Artificial teeth
Bandages
Birth control pills
Body scan
Braille books and magazines
Breast reconstruction surgery
Car modifications for a disability
Chiropractor
Christian Science practitioner
Contact lenses and related supplies
Crutches
Dental treatment
Denture care
Diagnostic devices
Drug addiction
Durable medical equipment
Ear care
Eye care
Eye surgery
Eyeglasses
Fertility enhancement
First aid/medical supplies
Foot care
Guide dog or other service animal
Hearing aids
Home diagnostic tests or kits
Hospital services
Laboratory fees
Lactose intolerance
Learning disability
Massage therapy
Medications (prescribed)
Nursing services
Osteopath
Oxygen
Physical examination
Pregnancy test kit
Prosthesis
Psychiatric care
Psychoanalysis
Psychology
Special education
Sterilization
Stop-smoking programs
Surgery
Telephone for hearing impaired
Television for hearing impaired
Therapy
Transplants
Vasectomy
Wheelchair (for relief of sickness or disability)
Wig
X-rays
Baby-sitting, childcare, and nursing services for a normal,
healthy baby
Cosmetic surgery
Dancing lessons
Diaper service
Electrolysis or hair removal
Exercise equipment
Exercise pools
Funeral expenses
Hair transplant
Health club memberships
Herbal supplements
Household help
Illegal drugs, surgery, and treatments
Insurance premiums
Items or procedures not approved by the FDA
Lodging
Maternity clothes
Mattresses
Meals
Medications from other countries
Naturopathic, holistic, and alternative treatments (eligibility is
limited to licensed providers of the healing arts)
Nutrition supplements
Over-the-counter items (see Over-the-counter Eligibility)
Personal computers, tablets, smartphones (including related
software and applications)
Personal use items
Pillows
Prenatal vitamins
Prepayments
Shoes
Sleeping aids
Swimming lessons
Teeth whitening
Travel expenses (eligibility is limited to local mileage)
Vacuum cleaners
Vitamins
Veterinary fees
Weight-loss programs
Whirlpools, exercise pools
Please remember, some of the items that are eligible for Flexible Spending require a prescription or a letter of medical
necessity from your physician.
GUIDE TO FLEXIBLE SPENDING ELECTIONS
Over-the-counter Eligibility
Type/Class of drug or
product
Examples
Eligible with a
prescription
Allergy Prevention and
Treatment
Actifed, Allerest, Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, Claritin, Contac,
NasalCrom, Sudafed
Yes
Analgesics/Antipyretics
Aspirin, Advil, Aleve, ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Tylenol, Midol,
Pamprin, Premsyn
Yes
(with this year’s funds or
last year’s leftover funds
used before March 15)
Antacids and Acid Reducers Axid AR, Gas-X, Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, Pepcid AC, Prilosec
OTC, Tagamet HB, Zantac
Yes
Antibiotics (topical)
Bacitracin, Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Yes
Anticandidal (yeast)
Femstat 3, Gyne-Lotrimin, Mycelex-7, Monistat 3, Vagistat-1
Yes
Antidiarrheal and Laxatives
Ex-Lax, Imodium AD, Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol
Yes
Antifungal
Lamisil AT, Lotrimin AF, Micatin
Yes
Antihistamines
Actidil, Actifed, Allerest, Benadryl, Claritin, Chlor-Trimeton,
Contac, Drixoral, Sudafed, Tavist-1, Triaminic
Yes
Anti-itch Lotions and
Creams
Bactine, Benadryl, Caldecort, Caladryl, calamine, Cortaid,
hydrocortisone, Lanacort, Lamisil AT, Lotrimin AF
Yes
Asthma Medicines
Bronitin Mist, Bronkaid, Bronkolixer, Primatene
Yes
Band-Aids/Bandages
Eligible without a
prescription
Cold Sore/Fever Blisters
Yes
Cold, Flu, Decongestants,
and Sinus Remedies
Actidil, Acitfed, Advil Cold & Sinus, Afrin, Alka Seltzer PLUS Cold
and Flu, Afrinol, Aleve-D Sinus & Cold, Children’s Advil Cold,
Contac, DayQuil, Dimetane, Dristan Long Lasting, Drixoral,
Neo-Synephrine 12 Hour, NyQuil, Otrivin, Pediacare, Sudafed,
Tavist-D, Theraflu, Triaminic, Tylenol Cold & Flu, cough drops,
nasal sprays, throat lozenges
Yes
Contraceptives
Spermicides
Cough Suppressants or
Expectorants
Robitussin, Vicks Formula 44, Chloraseptic, cough drops, throat
lozenges
Yes
Dehydration
Pedialyte
Yes
Dental
Orajel
Yes
Denture Care
Poligrip
Yes
Diaper Rash
Balmex, Desitin
Yes
Eligible without a
prescription
Durable Medical Equipment Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches
Yes
Ear Care
Ear candles, ear bulb syringes, ototek loops, hearing aids
Yes
Ear Care, Solutions
Ear drops, ear wax removal
Yes
Eye Care
Contact lens supplies, reading glasses, eye patches
Yes
Eye Drops
Eye drops
Yes
Family Planning
Ovulation predictor kits, pregnancy tests
Yes
First Aid Kits
Antiseptics, bandages, cold/hot packs for injuries, rubbing
alcohol, Ace wraps, splints, thermometers, liquid adhesives, etc.
Foot Care
Callus removers, athlete’s foot products (see Antifugal), bunion
treatments, blister and corn treatments
Foot Care Inserts
Arch and insole supports, orthotic inserts
Hemorrhoidal Preparations
Preparation H, Tronolane
Yes
Home Diagnostic Tests or
Kits
Blood pressure (monitor and related equipment), cholesterol,
diabetic equipment and supplies, colorectal screenings, HIV test
Yes
Lactose Intolerance
DairyCare, Digestive Advantage, Lactaid
Yes
Menstrual Cycle
Midol, Pamprin, Premsyn PMS
Yes
Migraine Relief
Advil Migraine, Motrin Migraine, Excedrin
Yes
Motion Sickness
Dramamine, Marezine
Yes
NSAIDs
Advil, Aleve, ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, naproxen
Yes
Pediculicide (head lice)
Nix, Rid
Yes
Sunburn/Burn Relief
Aloe vera, Solarcaine
Yes
Sleeping Aids
Eligible without a
prescription
Yes
Eligible without a
prescription
Yes
Smoking Cessation
Commit, NicoDerm CQ, Nicorette, NICOTROL
Yes
Teething/Toothaches
Orajel, Anbesol
Yes
Topical Steroids
Hydrocortisone
Yes
Wart Removal
Compound W, Dr. Scholl’s Clear Away, Wart-Off
Yes
Dual purpose over-the-counter medicines and products may be reimbursed through your medical/dental Flexible
Spending Account with a licensed healthcare provider’s note stating your specific diagnosis or medical condition, a
recommendation to take the specific over-the-counter medicine to treat your condition, and documentation of the
product and cost. Here are some examples:
Type/Class of
drug or product
Examples
Reimbursable use
Excluded use
Acne
Retin-A
Chronic acne under
treatment by a physician
Occasional outbreak or
blemish
Calcium
Calcium carbonate, Caltrate,
tricalcium phosphate, calcium
citrate, calcium lactate, calcium
gluconate
Always excluded
Cosmetics
Face soaps, creams, makeup,
perfumes, hair removal
Always excluded
Dental Fluoride
Routine use for general oral
care
Dental Products
Dental floss, toothpaste,
toothbrushes, teeth whitening kits
Always excluded
Dietary/Nutritional
Supplements
Protein bars, power drinks,
Ensure, Glucerna, SlimFast
Always excluded
Feminine Hygiene
Fiber Supplements
Post-surgery or childbirth
Benefiber, Metamucil, PeptoBismol
Always excluded
Herbal Supplements
Always excluded
Homeopathic
Remedies
Routine use for general
health
Incontinence
Post-surgery
Infants and toddlers
Joint Supplements
Glucosamine, chondroitin
Always excluded
Mineral
Calcium, Caltrate, ferrous sulfate,
Feosol, Slow Fe, folic acid
Always excluded
OTC Hormone
Therapy
Peri-menopausal or
menopausal symptoms
Snoring Cessation
Breathe Right, Snoreeze
Toiletries
Deodorant, shampoo, body
sprays, soaps, moisturizers,
ChapStick
Routine use for general
health
Sleep apnea
Always excluded