If you have a flexible spending account (FSA), you might be wondering if you can use that money to purchase an office chair.
To sum it up, office chairs are FSA-eligible.
But you need a letter of medical necessity (LMN) to prove that the chair will alleviate any pain associated with a diagnosed problem.
To learn exactly what you need to purchase office chairs with your FSA, keep reading.
This article fully explains FSA eligibility as it pertains to office chairs. Scroll down for more.
Understanding FSA
To fully understand why office chairs are FSA-eligible, you have to understand FSA and how they are used.
As you likely know, FSA is an acronym for flexible spending account. It is a benefit of employer-sponsored health care for qualified expenses.
It’s best to think of an FSA as a savings account.
The only difference between an FSA and a traditional savings account is that the money within the FSA can only be used for certain health-related costs.
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Are Office Chairs FSA-eligible?
Because flexible spending accounts can only be used for health-related costs, chairs don’t immediately fall under this category.
However, certain chairs can fall under health-related costs if you have a medical diagnosis that can be alleviated through a special office chair.
For example, a specialized chair or ergonomic chair may be FSA-eligible if it is used to treat some sort of medical condition like sciatica.
To prove that the chair is being used in this way, you will need a letter of medical necessity or an LMN.
Even if you have an LMN, you will likely have to pay for the chair out of pocket, but you may qualify for reimbursement if you keep the receipt.
In either case, verify the purchase with your employer beforehand to see if the purchase of your chair can be refunded.
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More About The LMN
The letter of medical necessity is the key to your chair being FSA-eligible.
If you do not have an LMN, the chair outright cannot be covered by your flexible spending account.
So, you need to get a letter of medical necessity before purchasing the chair.
The purpose of the LMN is to provide medical documentation that the chair is being used to alleviate some medical conditions.
A variety of health conditions can qualify your doctor to write an LMN on your behalf.
The LMN must include all of the information you need to ensure the chair is FSA-eligible. There is a lot of information that needs to be in this letter.
Some of the most basic information that needs to be included include:
- Patient name
- Patient information
- Patient insurance
- Date of the letter
- Physician information
- Date of the last examination
In addition to this basic information, the LMN must include the patient’s diagnosis, relevant medical history, and recommended treatment.
Furthermore, the letter must go on to answer why the chair is a medical necessity for the condition at hand.
Finally, the letter should include the physician’s signature and any supporting literature.
This will help to support your case and prove that the doctor did their due diligence in this prescription.
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How To Use An FSA For An Office Chair?
If you believe that you qualify for an FSA-eligible office chair, it’s best to begin the process by talking to your employer.
Your employer will give you a better idea of how the process will work and what you need to do to get approved.
In most cases, you will need to get an LMN above all.
Go to your doctor and discuss how a chair can help your condition and how quickly they can get the letter for you.
Once again, this letter is essential for the chair being FSA-eligible.
After you get your LMN, your employer will likely tell you to purchase the chair with your own money but don’t forget to keep the receipt.
Whenever you bring the receipt back to your employer, they typically issue a refund or reimbursement. Reimbursements can take a few weeks to go through.
When You CAN NOT Use Your FSA For An Office Chair
Although there are times when you can use your FSA for an office chair, not all office chairs qualify.
If you have no diagnosis or conditions, you will likely have to pay for your office chair out of your own money.
Likewise, getting a new office chair for any reason other than medical conditions means that it does not qualify for an FSA reimbursement.
In other words, an office chair must be used for medical purposes for it to be FSA-eligible.
A chair being purchased for any other reason means that it is not FSA-eligible, and you will have to purchase it on your dime.
To go a step further, you have to have medical documentation that the chair is being used for medical purposes.
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It is not enough for you to claim it is being used for that reason. A doctor must write a letter of medical necessity to prove that a chair is needed to alleviate the pain of your diagnosis.
So, you cannot use your FSA for an office chair if it is not used for medical purposes and you do not have legal evidence that the chair will alleviate your diagnosis.
You can only use your flexible spending account on an office chair if it is confirmed by your doctor that it is a medical necessity for your condition.
Final Thoughts
Once again, office chairs can be FSA-eligible, but they need to be used for medical purposes and a doctor must write a letter of medical necessity on your behalf.
If you are unable to meet these stipulations, the office chair must be paid for from your pocket.
If you have any further questions about your FSA spending, it’s best to talk to your employer.
Your employer will be able to answer any questions you have about what is FSA-eligible and what steps you need to take to get reimbursement for an FSA-eligible purchase.
