[bjaardker]

Just wanted to give people a heads up. If you're thinking of getting impressions made for customs, and you have extra money left in a Health Insurance "Flexible Spending Account", you might want to get them made before the end of the year. Since impressions made at an audiologist can be used for hearing protection (something I plan on using my IEMs for), they are often covered as acceptable expenses on flex-spend accounts.

I just got word from my spending account administrator that my request for reimbursement for the impressions I got was just approved.

Just a thought since so often people have money left in their FSAs at the end of the year and end up losing it.

(NOTE: This probably isn't advisable with something like an HSA since the money in those accounts is rolled over year to year)

 

[ZoNtO]

Very good advice here.

 

[bjaardker]

Also something else I should have mentioned. If you've already gotten impressions done earlier in the year, and can get/have an invoice from the audiologist, you should be able to send that in for reimbursement as well.

 

[priest]

awesome suggestion! thanks so much for posting. i have way too much in my FSA right now (thought i was going to need a procedure done that i ended up not needing).

ps, did you get reimbursed just for the audiologist's impressions, or also for the sleeves themselves? maybe a stupid question.

 

[bjaardker]

So far it's just the impressions. I'm going to be scouring the plan details when I get to work tomorrow to see if I might be able to get the molds in on it as well. If nothing else I know that earplugs are covered so I might just do that too since I can always use them for snowblowing or mowing.

 

[mesasone]

This is exactly why we should open up HSA's to everybody and get rid of the FSA. It's just absurd that you set this money aside for future expenses and then it just disappears at the end of the year!

With Health Savings Accounts, there is a cap on how much you can contribute per year, but the balance rolls over to the next year and you can contribute more on top of that. AFAIK these are currently only available to those with high deductible insurance plans, which is a shame.

 

[priest]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjaardker /img/forum/go_quote.gif So far it's just the impressions. I'm going to be scouring the plan details when I get to work tomorrow to see if I might be able to get the molds in on it as well. If nothing else I know that earplugs are covered so I might just do that too since I can always use them for snowblowing or mowing.

Thanks again. I could also use custom earplugs at live shows, now that I've hit middle age.