10 Ways To Make the Most of Your Vision Insurance & Flex Spending Dollars Before It’s Too Late
2020 has been a year to remember and, in the blink of an eye, it is almost ending.
Have you taken advantage of your vision benefits for the year? Many plans run on a calendar year basis and the benefits for 2020 are running out soon.
This also means there are only so many weeks left in the year to spend your Flex Spending Account dollars before they are lost.
Your Insurance Doesn't Want You To Use Your Benefits
I remember looking at the prices for car insurance when my youngest daughter got her driver's license as a teenager. It was not cheap. My daughter thought that if she was a very safe driver and didn't get into any accidents, the premiums would be returned at the end of the year.
Wouldn't that be nice? Of course, that isn't how insurance works.
How Flex Spending Accounts Work
Flex spending accounts are advantageous for a few reasons. First, you never pay taxes on the money that goes into your FSA. Second, flex spending dollars help pay for medically necessary costs that are not covered by your medical or vision insurance.
The caveat, though, is you must "use it or lose it".
If you have unused vision benefits, unused flex spending dollars, or both…
Don’t Let Your Hard-Earned Dollars Go To Waste!
Here are 10 great ways you can take advantage of your vision benefits and use your FSA dollars to make sure you are seeing clearly in the new year.
Most vision insurances cover your eye exam with your only responsibility being the copay. Your FSA will cover this cost as well as additional testing that we may use to check the health of your eyes, including retinal photos and OCT scans.
Have you ever had the frustration of realizing you're out of contact lenses? Save the hassle by buying your contacts in bulk. This saves time (no more urgent calls to order more boxes) and money.
Many contact lens companies offer great rebates for buying a year supply. If you are worried about your vision changing during the year, you can return your unused and unopened boxes to us in exchange for your current prescription.
Having a back-up pair of glasses is convenient to keep at work or in case you lose them. Are you wanting to have a dressier pair of glasses or a different style than what you usually wear? Choose from any of our designer frames and treat yourself!
With more adults working from home and children doing distance learning, there has never been a better time to protect your eyes from all this screen time. Digital eye strain can lead to headaches, dry and achy eyes, redness, and blurred vision. Even if you don't regularly wear prescription glasses, computer glasses with bluelight blockers can help you work more effectively and more comfortably.
It is important to wear sunglasses year-round, even in the winter and on cloudy days. Exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays can lead to cataracts, macular degeneration, and cancer. Luckily, prescription sunglasses are an eligible expense under your FSA.
With the amount of time kids spend in front of screens and outdoors, many will benefit from having computer glasses, a back-up pair of glasses, or sunglasses. If your child has not had an eye exam recently, now is a great time to schedule an eye exam to see how his or her vision is doing.
Contact lenses are considered a medical device by the FDA and should only be worn with a prescription by your eye doctor. Knowing that, colored and special effect contact lenses are a fun and easy way to change up your appearance or get into the Halloween spirit.
Several of my patients who've had vision corrective surgery, like LASIK, say it was one of the best things they've ever done for themselves. While it can be pricey, LASIK is an eligible expense covered by your FSA. If you've been thinking about getting LASIK, now is a good time to see if you are an ideal candidate. You may not be able to get it done before the year ends, but you can plan for next year.
Protect your eyes while at work or at play. Prevent eye injuries and increase your performance with special sport or safety glasses.
If you have a family history of macular degeneration, adding a vitamin like EyePromise Restore to your diet can be an important way to support your vision. If you have problems with dry eyes, EyePromise EZ Tears is used to help your eyes naturally produce more tears. If you have questions about whether these vitamins are right for you, we can discuss these at your next exam.
There you have it: 10 ways to make the most of your vision insurance and flex spending dollars before it’s too late.
We can’t wait to see you in our office soon.
All the best,
Dr. Harold Ashcraft
P.S. Our schedule is filling up quickly, so don’t forget to give us a call soon at (310) 670-4411.