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(Yep, these are FSA + HSA eligible. Get more tips below.)

Ultra-Pricey Ultrasounds

ultrasound[Photo Credit: Dialysis Technician Salary]

When my primary care physician suggested I get an ultrasound for my abdomen, I had no idea how much it would cost me out-of-pocket. Without doing my homework on ultrasound estimates along with figuring out how much my insurance would cover, I nonchalantly consented. A couple months later after the test, I get my summary statements from Anthem (my insurer). Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting my out-of-pocket costs to be this:

ultrasound_eob1

ultrasound_eob2

For some reason, my test was broken up into two statements for a total responsibility of $281.48. I was unpleasantly surprised on my portion of the bill (provider charged over $1400!), and I should definitely get an estimate next time I have any sort of test.

Fortunately, armed with my FSA account, I remembered that I can have my tax-exempt FSA dollars reimburse me for the cost of these medical expenses! So, faster than you can say “healthcare expenses”, I hopped onto my FSA administrator’s site (CONEXIS) and submitted my ultrasound costs as a medical deductible claim:
ultrasound_reimbursement

 

Lo and behold, in a couple days CONEXIS approved of the medical deductible:

ultrasound_approved

And soon after that, my check for $281.48 was mailed to me:

ultrasound_check
Chalk up another victory for the Flexible Spending Account. So while I can’t do anything about the cost of my medical bills, I can leverage my FSA dollars to effectively get a great discount by using pre-tax money. The next time you have a medical expense or deductible, remember to get your FSA to reimburse ya!

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