Are CPAP Supplies FSA/HSA Eligible? Why OSA Patients Like You Care

Blue piggy bank sitting on top of a stethoscope

Aeroflow Sleep understands that CPAP supplies can be expensive. Even after your health insurance is applied, there are deductibles and coinsurance to consider. It can be a total headache, which you’re already suffering from thanks to your medical condition: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA.) You don’t need financial stress to fuel that symptom anymore. So, what gives?!

Although our unofficial motto is that “we take the headache out of healthcare,” you can benefit further than getting your CPAP supplies covered through insurance with Aeroflow Sleep. By understanding what an FSA and HSA is and how either may be used to cover eligible medical expenses, you’ll have a little extra cash in your pocket for the holidays.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

What Is An FSA?

What Is An HSA?

How Do I Know If Something Is FSA Or HSA Approved?

Is Sleep Apnea Equipment Covered By FSA Or HSA?

Use FSA Funds For CPAP Therapy By The End Of The Year

CPAP SUPPLIES THROUGH INSURANCE:

Aeroflow Sleep is in-network with most primary insurance companies and is accreditted by Medicare and Medicaid. Complete our Qualify Through Insurance Form, and we will automatically check to see if your plan covers CPAP supplies; including a machine, mask, and accessories. ***Must have a sleep study to qualify.***

You will also receive the care and attention every sleep apnea patient deserves; one-on-one clinical support in-home or via telehealth, a dedicated Sleep Specialist you can contact during business hours, and a user-friendly online portal with tailored replacement schedule, important updates and notifications, and educational resources.

Let us take the headache out of healthcare. Join the Aeroflow Sleep family today! It only takes 5-7 minutes to get started.

What Is An FSA?

FSA stands for Flexible Spending Account, or Flexible Savings Account, and it’s sort of like a checking account. You receive an FSA debit card that your employer activates and funds, except the money can only be spent on certain out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

Typically, you may opt into an FSA during your employer’s open enrollment period, so it’s not something you yourself can fund privately. However, it is tax-free, non-transferrable income, so we highly recommend enrolling, if an FSA account is made available to you.

What Is An HSA?

Now, HSA stands for Health Savings Account. It is similar, however HSA funds are direct income. That means you fund it; not your employer. Ask any private health insurance provider or United States government programs—such as Medicare—about their HSA options, especially ones that allow you to receive an HSA card in the mail.

Another difference: while your employer may not offer an HSA, let’s say the insurance plans they do offer have high deductibles and premiums. This is where the benefit of having your own account can come in handy, because you may use HSA funds for reimbursement on certain healthcare percentages. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…

How Do I Know If Something Is FSA Or HSA Approved?

There’s a simple trick to knowing if something is FSA or HSA approved; ask yourself if the medical care you are hoping to fund is tangible or intangible. 

An FSA may fund consumer goods; like medical equipment. An HSA, on the other hand, may be applied to qualified medical expenses associated with your insurance’s health plan.

FSA Eligible Medical Expenses: If you frequent CVS pharmacy for over-the-counter treatment options, like vitamins and personal care products, you probably want to enroll in an FSA.

HSA Eligible Medical Expenses: An HSA is not meant for consumer goods. If you need help supplementing health insurance percentages, you’ll instead want to use an HSA.

 

Is Sleep Apnea Equipment Covered By FSA Or HSA?

The short answer is yes, most sleep apnea equipment is covered by FSA or HSA. Whether the money is, for example, applied at checkout (FSA) or is being put towards a copayment (HSA,) CPAP machines, masks, and accessories may be eligible for reimbursement with a detailed receipt.

That detailed receipt, also known as a claim, may be required to include (but is not limited to) proof of purchase, proof of provider, even proof of the medical condition; such as a sleep study in the case of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA.) Furthermore, the IRS decides which medical equipment is reimbursable; CPAP accessories that are frequent replacement parts, like headgear, humidifiers, and filters, are often points of contention.

To show you how widely coverage varies, take a look at a few products you can order from Aeroflow Sleep. Some are, while others are not, eligible for FSA and/or HSA, yet they seemingly offer the same medical care for the same medical condition…

*Eligible:
Resvent iBreeze APAP Machine
ResMed AirFit F20 Full-Face CPAP Mask
Spirit Medical Halo Style Chinstrap 

*At the time this blog was written.

*Not Eligible:
ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP Machine
ResMed AirFit N20 For Her CPAP Mask
Sunset Healthcare Ruby Chinstrap

A few outliers that are not typically FSA or HSA eligible include…

  • CPAP Cleaners & Sanitizers
  • CPAP Pillows
  • CPAP Cleaning Supplies (Wipes)

Always check with your dedicated Aeroflow Sleep Specialist if your CPAP equipment is covered by FSA or HSA before expecting reimbursement.

Use FSA Funds For CPAP Therapy By The End Of The Year

Still, the most important lesson here remains unsaid: FSA funds do NOT roll over at the end of the year. That’s right; any money sitting in your Flexible Spending Account won’t be there when 2023 ends, and it’s ending soon. Call 1-800-480-5491 to see if you can get CPAP supplies through insurance from Aeroflow Sleep, and hurry! Your order must ship by December 29, 2023 to use FSA funds.

Do HSA Funds Roll Over? The money in your Health Savings Account won’t disappear at the end of the year, but if you’ve met your deductible, that will change. You see, deductibles reset, which means you’ll have to take more money out of your HSA in 2024 to compensate. Again, call 1-800-480-5491 to see if you can get CPAP supplies through insurance with reduced premiums now. The same deadline is looming; your order must ship by December 29, 2023.


About the Author

Meagan Remmes is passionate about educating new and existing sleep apnea patients on the benefits of receiving PAP supplies through insurance.  With nearly a decade of writing experience, she has worked with a wide range of clients in the past; including Mission Hospital, Ingles Markets, Omni Hotels & Resorts, and Advance Auto Parts. In her free time, you may find her hanging out with her dog, hiking with her husband, or reading a good book in blissful solitude.

Information provided in blogs should not be used as a substitute for medical care or consultation.



References

“Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAS).” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 15 Nov. 2023, www.hr.nih.gov/benefits/insurance/flexible-spending-accounts.  

“Publication 969 (2022), Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans.” Internal Revenue Service, 7 Mar. 2023, www.irs.gov/publications/p969#en_US_2022_publink1000204063

“FSAFEDS.” Receipt Requirements, www.fsafeds.com/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023. 

“Eligible Health Care FSA (HC FSA) Expenses - FSAFEDS.” Eligible Health Care FSA (HC FSA) Expenses, www.fsafeds.com/explore/hcfsa/expenses?take=100. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023. 

Malone, Kenny. “Flexible Spending Accounts Are Back to Use-It-or-Lose-It.” NPR, NPR, 9 Dec. 2022, www.npr.org/2022/12/09/1141969825/flexible-spending-accounts-are-back-to-use-it-or-lose-it


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