CARES Act Permanently Extends Eligible Expense Items
With the passage of the CARES Act in March 2020, additional over the counter (OTC) products and feminine hygiene products are now eligible to be purchased using a medical spending account, such as an health savings account (HSA). Prior to the passage of the act, these items were only eligible for reimbursement with a prescription. From pain relievers to baby rash creams, the updated list of eligible expenses is now available.
Some of the new eligible expenses include:
- Tampons, pads, and liners
- Cold, cough, and flu medicine
- Allergy and sinus medicine
- Pain relievers
- Digestive aids and laxatives
- Baby rash ointments and creams
The expanded eligible expenses list is a permanent change and these newly added items are retroactively eligible beginning on January 1, 2020. Members can file for reimbursement for these items that they have purchased since the beginning of 2020.
Members with health reimbursement accounts (HRA) should check with their health plan as eligible items may differ.
For ease of sharing these updates with employees, we have created an employer letter template that can be customized and shared with your team.
