Are Flexible Spending Accounts Anti-Women?
Flexible Spending Accounts are a great way to set aside pre-tax dollars for medical expenses, but as we all learned this week, they don’t cover everything. Some of the things they don’t cover — tampons, breast pumps, breastfeeding classes — might suggest that they’re anti-women. These plans allow employees of companies who have it to set aside a portion of their income to pay for medical expenses — co-pays, deductibles, and treatments. The IRS has the ultimate decision in what’s covered because the FSA owner’s money goes into the account before taxes are withheld. This list of what’s covered and what isn’t is universal and, in some cases, seemingly arbitrary. For instance, childbirth classes are covered but not child rearing or CPR classes, and if you bring your husband along, that costs extra. You can’t be reimbursed for that fee. Sterilization and most forms of birth control are covered, as is Viagra since prescriptions are covered in general. A doula, on the other hand, is only c
