What happens if your FSA claim is denied?

Don't panic

Regardless of why your card was denied, there's no need to be embarrassed. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong and there's a good chance it's not even your fault. There are a lot of reasons your FSA claim might be denied and most have an easy fix. The first step is to figure out whether or not your card has been activated.

Forgetting to activate your card is a common oversight with a simple solution: call your card administrator or explore your company's benefits website to learn how to activate your card.

Double check your funds

Let's be honest: sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything and that includes your FSA card balance. If your FSA claim is denied, it might be because you had insufficient funds in your account or that the price of the item you tried to purchase is higher than your balance. Be sure to check your balance before you use your card again.

Make sure you're using an approved merchant

FSA cards come with a lot of specific rules and one of the primary rules is that you can only use your account to buy FSA-eligible items. Various restrictions are put on the card to ensure that you use the funds correctly, including limitations based on merchant type, limitations based on merchant systems and limitations based on merchant inventory, to name a few.

The easiest way to ensure that your items are eligible is by shopping at a store that exclusively sells FSA-eligible items. It takes the guesswork out of shopping and decreases the chances that your FSA card will be declined.

But, for the most part, your FSA card should work where it makes sense; at locations such as local pharmacies and drug stores, vision centers, doctor and dental offices, etc. But if you try to use your card at an ice cream parlor or an auto parts store, even if that ice cream parlor happens to sell FSA-eligible bandages, chances are your card won't work.

If you have questions about whether or not a specific merchant will allow your FSA card, you can contact your FSA administrator to find out.

Confirm with your employer that the item is eligible

Here's the deal: the IRS determines which items are FSA-eligible. However, employers can set their own eligibility rules as long as they are adhering to the IRS guidelines. In other words, it's important to check in with your FSA administrator and confirm that the item you tried to buy is FSA-eligible.

If your FSA card was declined but you decided to buy the item with a different card, then it's still a good idea to try and get reimbursed through your FSA. If you bought the item through FSAStore.com and the item was allowed under your plan guidelines, we guarantee that the item is FSA-eligible, so be sure to save your receipt and submit for reimbursement.

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