National Women's Health Week

Sunday was Mother's Day - a day to celebrate mom and kick off National Women's Health Week. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health is sponsoring the week (from May 12-18, 2013) to emphasize the importance of women's health.

Throughout the week awareness is raised through events, seminars and social media outreach.

National Women's Health Week focuses on five steps to maintaining both mental and physical health:

1. Get regular health care checkups to monitor your health

- With your Flexible Spending Account, you can visit health providers (especially those not covered by a traditional insurance plan).

- Routine physical exams and other annual check-ups (for instance, pap smears and mammograms) are covered by your FSA.

- Medical screenings for hearing, vision, cholesterol, blood pressure, physicals, body scans, MRIs, and diagnostic services are covered under an FSA.

Find a nearby health provider through our FSA Eligible Services section.

2. Stay or get active

While weight-loss programs are not covered by every flexible spending account (though coverage depends on the individual plan setup), exercising pays off.

Stay on the move with FSA eligible products including athletic treatments, braces, foot care products and hot/cold packs.

3. Eat healthy

- A balanced diet will ensure you keep the pounds off, retain high energy levels, and obtain the right nutrients.

- FSA Tip: Diets are not an eligible expense for flexible spending accounts.

4. Keep track of mental health

Getting enough sleep? Adults should sleep for about 7-9 hours to be well-rested, and should keep a routine before bedtime (going to bed/waking up at specific times, avoiding late night meals).

Feeling stressed? Take the time to properly unwind after a hectic day. Increased stress levels can negatively impact your body and mood by inducing pain, causing sleeplessness, and heightening blood pressure.

FSA Tip: Medical expenses associated with psychiatric care are covered by a flexible spending account. Find providers near you through FSAstore.com's Services.

5. Eliminate unhealthy habits

Smoking cessation programs and medications are covered by a flexible spending account.

FSA eligible smoking-cessation products including Nicotine gum and patches are covered under an FSA with a doctor's prescription.