Good Lifestyle

We have blinked, and suddenly, it's almost 2023. The new year provokes exciting prospects, but unfortunately, it also means saying goodbye to all money that we have hidden in our Flexible expenditure accounts (FSA). Thanks to company health care plans, millions of workers in the United States are able to put aside income in an FSA which is not imposed and can only be used on certain health costs . The only problem is that these funds expire at the end of the year, according to Nancy Mitchell , a Authorized nurse and medical writer For assisted life.

"So if you don't use it, you will lose it - literally," she said Better life .

But if you still have money in your FSA, don't panic. There are tons of ways to spend all of this, even with two weeks of the year. And you also don't have to embark on crazy lengths to do so: your local pharmacy offers many possibilities for you to spend the remaining FSA funds. Read the rest for five different recommendations on the use of these last dollars saved at Walgreens and CVS.

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If you have not yet obtained your flu vaccine, do it before the end of the year. Most of the FSA plans cover flu vaccines, according to Taylor Remington , a Therapist and founder of the impact recovery center. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"You can get a flu vaccine on Walgreens and CVS, and use your FSA to pay for this," she said. Most insurance plans cover the shot, but if not, obtain the vaccine in one or the other pharmacy could cost Up to $ 95.

Your purchases should not be explicitly medical. In fact, future travel plans could also benefit from your remaining FSA funds, says Joanna Briggs , a authorized nurse Work as a medical consultant at Jugo Feed.

"Have an upcoming vacation? A unique way to use FSA funds is on travel articles," said Briggs. "Eligible items include travel pillows, weather bracelets and even sunscreen."

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It may be the perfect time to refresh your pharmacy cabinet. According to Mitchell, store on over -the -counter drugs (OTC) is "an excellent way to use" your remaining FSA money. "There are over-the-counter medicines you need all year round, so I would take the opportunity to eliminate your balance," she said.

Remington notes that "Walgreens and CVS carry a wide variety of over -the -counter medicines, such as pain relievers, antacids, coughing and cold remedies" which can all be purchased with an FSA.

But Shauna Markes-Wilson , Walgreens pharmacist and regional director of pharmacy and retail operations for Georgia and northern Florida, advises buyers to search for winter weather requirements such as cough and cold medicine in particular.

"This year's cold and flu season has been estimated as the worst for several years, so prepare with the drugs of the Walgreens brand that will help you cross cough, congestion, sore throat and fever ", she says. "Take the time to look at the medication you already have, clean these expiration dates and replace them."

For the first time, hearing aids are now available in your local pharmacy. After the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA) approved over-the-counter hearing aids earlier this year, Walgreens and CVS began Selling customers without prescription in mid-October.

And this is not the only good news. "They could be an eligible FSA expenditure," said Markes-Wilson.

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Do you have a first aid Practice at home? Otherwise, it's now time to get one. "Each household must have a first aid kit at hand with a variety of basic medical supplies," explains Briggs. "Spend your last -minute FSA dollars on one to make sure you are ready for the coming year."

You can either buy a whole kit from your local pharmacy or get the necessary supplies separately to build yours. "First -way supplies such as bandages, gauze and antibiotic ointments can be purchased with your FSA from Walgreens and CVS," said Remington.