Reminder: You Can Buy SPF Sunscreen and Moisturizer With FSA / HSA Money
New York is 90 degrees, which means people are finally taking off parkas and gray-black winter clothes for less gray black summer clothes . And with the layers removed comes an annual reminder to apply sunscreen before leaving the house.
Sunscreen is an important component of healthy skin care. You have to wear it “every damn day,” as wrote our editor Beth Skorecki health, to protect themselves from the relentless rays of the sun, even if the temperature is not 90 degrees.
Plus it’s expensive as there are all kinds of covering and trendy serums and moisturizers with SPF. (Unfortunately, Consumer Reports has found over the past five years that about half of the sunscreens they tested did not meet the SPF level listed on the bottle. So you’ll want to check their ratings before buying.) Fortunately, if you have an FSA or HSA, you can get compensation for your sunscreen purchase.
If your sunscreen has an SPF of 30 or higher , you can use FSA or HSA money to pay for it. You will want to double check with your insurer to see which qualifies, and you can also find eligible items at the FSA store and on your insurance company’s website.
Any more good news? High SPF moisturizers are also suitable. You can see some of them here on the FSA store website, including options from brands like CeraVe , La Roche-Posay, and Supergoop . ( Lip care matters too!)
If you want to go beyond sunscreen, prescription sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays may be reimbursed, and if you do get burned, aloe vera creams and ointments may also work if you have a prescription. Again, you should check with your plan provider before rushing to buy something.
And one final reminder (because I was blowing loudly on the sun protection horn this year): As Beth writes , sunscreen alone will not protect you from complete solar anger. Clothing, hats, and UV-protected sunglasses are also essential if you are outdoors for extended periods of time – as is shade. And don’t forget to protect your eyelids .