Insurance and hair removal - When will they understand?!

CrazyDayz · 05-23-2008, 10:15 PM

We have a flex spending account with my dh's work. Of course when they switched to the new company the first thing I checked was hair removal. How is it that hair removal especially, medical, is not covered but Lasik eye surgery is? My dh had lasik done and we used the flex account. To me that is just as cosmetic. He could wear glasses or contacts just like I have to shave!

Ok thanks for letting me rant. The one thing I hate the most about PCOS is the hair growth on my face. I hate it!! I am going to get laser done once I get the hormones in order but just mad over the whole recognition thing.

KatCarney · 05-23-2008, 10:23 PM

See here:

My Insurance is Covering My Laser Hair Removal!

CrazyDayz · 05-23-2008, 10:37 PM

Awesome thank you for linking that!

Nicky5282 · 05-30-2008, 08:54 PM

I wonder if you can't contact someone regarding your Flex Spending to see if they can approve it for you? I'd give it a try as well.

JosieFB · 05-31-2008, 12:10 AM

Flex spending accounts have to follow the IRS rules for deductible medical expenses. You'll have to get a diagnosis saying hair removal "is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease."

I suspect that the administrator of your Flex Spending Account will be very conservative when interpreting the IRS regs because the IRS makes the final determination of the interpretation. In other words, I doubt they will allow a reimbursement for hair removal because if the FSA is audited, they risk penalties from the IRS if the IRS disagrees with their decision. I hope I'm wrong, but thought I should let you know the chances of getting it approved are low.

Here is the IRS regulation.

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/ar02.html#d0e2334

Cosmetic Surgery

Generally, you cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for unnecessary cosmetic surgery. This includes any procedure that is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease. You generally cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for procedures such as face lifts, hair transplants, hair removal (electrolysis), and liposuction.

You can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for cosmetic surgery if it is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease.

Example.
An individual undergoes surgery that removes a breast as part of treatment for cancer. She pays a surgeon to reconstruct the breast. The surgery to reconstruct the breast corrects a deformity directly related to the disease. The cost of the surgery is includible in her medical expenses.

Electrolysis or Hair Removal

See Cosmetic Surgery, earlier.

Nicky5282 · 05-31-2008, 12:28 AM

Hmm but her husband can get lazik?

I say, still try to get them to cover it. Do what you can!!

JosieFB · 05-31-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicky5282

Hmm but her husband can get lazik?

I know that you were being sarcastic, but a lot of people have access to Flex Savings Accounts through their employers and don't use them. They don't realize they can use them for things insurance doesn't cover like contacts, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and Lasik surgery. It's a great benefit! The money is deducted from your pay check and you pay no taxes on that part of your salary. You can save gradually for a costly procedure not covered by insurance, like Lasik. You don't have to wait until the money is in the account to use it. Whatever you pledge to contribute for the year is available on the first day of the year. The one caveat is that some plans require you to use the entire account in 12 or 15 months, so check your plan's rules to make sure you don't lose the money you deposit because you didn't have enough medical expenses to use it all.

I put my medical deductible, copays for my regular doctor's visits, dental cleaning costs, and non-covered medicine costs in the account each year. Dental insurance premiums got to be ridiculous at my company, so I decided to self-insure the 2 cleanings a year in the FSA. You can even be reimbursed for some OTC medicines. Read the IRS link above. Anything you can deduct from your taxes, you can use a Flex Spending Account for.

CrazyDayz · 06-02-2008, 06:06 PM

I did find a form for Medical Determination on the flex account website. I will bring it with me to the Dr and see what we can do. Hopefully using the info from the link posting from KatCarney we can make something work. Even if insurance covers instead of flex account.

To me it is a deformity. Woman are not supposed to have a beard!