Having a hard time finding how to use your flex spending account? Good news! Massage therapy could be covered. A little investigation could prove fruitful. According to Morgan, Section 213(d) of the Federal tax code (did I just bore you?) stipulates that a qualified expense must be to “alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness,” a.k.a. treat an injury or condition.

This means that not all massage will qualify as a medical expense. But! He also states that therapeutic massage is a frequent part of medical treatment plans for chronic pain and muscle problems in addition to stress-related conditions, such as high blood pressure or anxiety. In these cases, chances are your plan will cover the expense – provided your physician prescribes it.

So how do you make sure you’re covered?

1. Have an authorized health care practitioner write a prescription. Have them include in the Rx exactly what issue the massage treatment is for and how many treatments they recommend (it could be once a month or six sessions, etc.).
2. Bring the Rx when you book an appointment as I will need to make a copy for your records and keep the original.
3. I will give you a “medical receipt” for your FSA/HSA. This receipt will contain the information needed to get the expense approved. A good idea is to check with your plan administrator first to find out exactly what info needs to appear on the receipt. We want it reimbursed on the first submission.

That’s it – easy!

See you on the table!