The choice to undergo LASIK Eye Surgery is an exciting decision and one that requires careful consideration and planning. LASIK can improve your eyesight whether you have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), presbyopia (the gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects), or astigmatism. While LASIK has become more widely available since it was first introduced years ago, there are still many people who think they can’t afford this procedure. The good news is that there are now a variety of programs and benefits in place to help you pay for LASIK. One such program, the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is one of the most underutilized benefits offered in the US and it can help you save on LASIK.
What is a Flexible Spending Account?
Flexible Spending Accounts are a tax-free way to save for LASIK. FSA’s are employer-provided flex spending programs that help individuals use pre-tax dollars from their paychecks to fund qualified medical procedures. Each year, employees decide how much they would like to deduct from each paycheck to set aside for eligible medical expenses, co-pays or deductibles.
Laser vision procedures, like LASIK, are an eligible FSA expense. When you use your FSA on LASIK, you’ll be saving hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. The one downfall to this program is that it has a “use it or lose it” stipulation. Any money set aside that isn’t used up by the end of the year, is lost and won’t roll over to the next year. For that reason, planning how to use your dollars is of upmost importance.