Drugstore.com encourages FSA spending

BELLEVUE, Wash. This may be the last plan year that consumers can purchase tax-free nonprescription medicines as part of their flexible spending accounts, an executive from Drugstore.com noted Tuesday, as inclusion of over-the-counter medicines as part of FSAs may become a casualty of the healthcare-reform debate.

As such, Drugstore.com is stepping up its marketing behind its FSA page, home to more than 300 eligible OTCs.

"While Congress debates healthcare reform and whether nonprescription products will continue to be FSA eligible in the coming years, participants can still use their FSA funds for this plan year and take advantage of this important benefit," stated David Lonczak, VP and chief marketing officer for Drugstore.com. "Regardless of the future of FSA accounts, Drugstore.com will always be a reliable source for value-minded consumers to fulfill their healthcare needs."

The Drugstore.com FSA store helps streamline the process by managing the required financial substantiation for consumers. All FSA debit cards are accepted, and customers who need receipts for reimbursement may print out an FSA-only receipt for any time period simply by logging into their online account.

Most FSA plans require account holders to use all of their healthcare dollars by the end of the calendar year, though some plans routinely have extended that deadline through March 15 in the past few years.