The CARES Act and New Uses for Your FSA and HSA Funds

Signed into law on March 27, the CARES Act provides new uses for FSA and HSA funds. What does this mean for you and your benefits? Let’s take a look!

Over the Counter Products Included as Eligible
The CARES Act reinstated OTC products as eligible uses for FSA, HSA and HRA funds without a prescription. This allows you to use the funds to purchase things like protective face masks and medication, which are needed more than ever during this time. This change takes place retroactively to January 1, 2020, meaning you can file for reimbursement for these items if you have purchased them since January.

Certain Menstrual Care Products are Eligible
Certain types of menstrual care products (e.g., pads, tampons, liners, and related items) can now be purchased using FSA, HSA and HRA funds. Like the change for OTC products, this change takes place retroactively.

High Deductible Health Plans and Telemedicine
This act allows high deductible health plans paired with an HSA to cover telemedicine or remote care expenses even if the participant hasn’t met their deductible yet. This change is temporary and will expire on December 31, 2020, if Congress doesn’t extend it.

These changes are intended to help all of us navigate through these difficult times a little more easily. If you’d like more information on the changes to HSA’s and FSA’s you can visit our plan administrator at www.tasconline.com.