How
FSAs Work
FSAs can help bridge the gap left by other health insurance plans. They allow employees to use tax-free funds to cover out-of-pocket health care expenses, and they sometimes replace a traditional employer health insurance plan.
Employees can also use their FSA to supplement a marketplace plan. In other cases, the FSA may supplement an employer-sponsored health care plan. Either way, the FSA has one central purpose: to cover out-of-pocket expenses.
Employees contribute a limited amount of money to their FSA each year. These funds are taken out of the paycheck before taxable income is calculated. Afterward, employees have one year to use their funds on approved health care expenses. FSA funds can apply toward deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Some prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are covered. Employees can even pay for medical devices like crutches using their FSA.
"FSA can help bridge the gap left by other health insurance plans."