{"id":17098,"date":"2020-04-24T09:18:09","date_gmt":"2020-04-24T07:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=17098"},"modified":"2020-04-24T09:18:33","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T07:18:33","slug":"menstrual-cups-reimbursement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/menstrual-cups-reimbursement\/","title":{"rendered":"Menstrual Cups are now FSA-eligible for Reimbursement in the U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"

And the crowd goes wild!<\/span><\/i> The U.S. government passed the <\/span>CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act<\/span><\/a> in March 2020 that initiated a $2 trillion stimulus package that allows for the reimbursement of period products. If you\u2019re interested in taking advantage of the opportunity to use your FSA towards a menstrual cup at no-tax, check out the details below. The Act retroactively went into effect January 2020, so make sure to save your receipts!<\/span><\/p>\n

If the term \u201cFSA\u201d is foreign to you, we\u2019ve included a section describing what it is and the eligibility process. If you already have an FSA (or <\/span>HSA<\/span><\/a>\/<\/span>HRA<\/span><\/a>), go ahead and skip to the section about the reimbursement process.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is an FSA?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>HealthCare.gov<\/span><\/a>, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is \u201ca special account you put money into that you use to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care costs.\u201d These expenses are not taxed, which means you save the amount equal to the money you set aside for your FSA. Using an FSA is designed to reduce your taxes and is offered by an employer. It\u2019s important to note that it follows a \u201cuse it or lose it\u201d rule, so if you are putting money aside for an FSA, make sure you are spending the equivalent on eligible, non-taxed items.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who is eligible for an FSA?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to the IRS, W-2 common law employees are eligible for an FSA. Anyone who owns 2% or more of a corporation, sole proprietorship, or partnership, is not eligible. Ask your employer about the details and process of setting up an FSA as it may differ from workplace to workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are menstrual cups included in the reimbursement?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes! Menstrual cups fall into the <\/span>feminine hygiene product<\/span><\/a> category that is reimbursable by the new CARES Act. Any products that are \u201cdesigned to absorb or manage the menstrual flow, and\/or the flow of bodily fluids from the vulva, in support of personal hygiene and comfort\u201d should be covered. We consider this a win for the period product world, and a big step towards other initiatives, like fighting the Period Tax and <\/span>Period Poverty<\/span><\/a> that exists all around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

This Act does not mean that period products no longer have a sales tax. It simply means that you can get reimbursed for period products with tax-free income.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I receive my menstrual cup reimbursement?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Simply submit your receipt to your plan administrator. It doesn\u2019t matter if you paid with cash or card, but you do need to have a valid receipt. If you don\u2019t know how to submit to your plan administrator, your Human Resources department should be able to help. If you\u2019d rather not discuss it with them, you can always call the toll free number of your health insurance provider.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please note that it may take your FSA plan administrator some time to implement a process for the reimbursement on their end, so make sure to ask them about the timeline.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is the CARES Act permanent?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even though the CARES Act was implemented because of Coronavirus relief efforts, it is a bill that is expected to stay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why should I invest in a menstrual cup?<\/span><\/h2>\n

To put it simply, there are a lot of reasons to invest in a menstrual cup, which means you\u2019re only one decision away from doing any of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n