Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

They recently changed the FSA rules because people were doing these types of things buying up all the aspirin at the end of the year to pick up their left overs. This year is the first year in order to get such claims you have to have a prescription. Yes, in order to buy cold medicine and have the FSA cover it you must have a doctor's prescription to submit to the FSA for reimbursement.

The whole idea of an FSA is to pay for the PLANNED expenses. You obviously didn't plan when you decided upon your contribution.

Walmart will refund the money back to the card that it was charged, and some FSAs like mine give a MC/VISA which is to be used for purchases. This means that if I make a purchase on my own MC/VISA, they can deny the reimbursement when I submit the claim.

My suggestion to you is to get any or all procedures that you've postponed over the years. That dentist appointment you've been postponing? Go. That exam you've not done because you didn't think it was a big deal because you didn't want to spend the money, get it done. Wanted to get contacts or new glasses? Now is the time.