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11 Comments

  • Reply DIY$ |

    It’s a great feeling – glad you’re benefiting from the reduced stress the comes from budgeting.

    As for the FSA – I know it used to be a use-it-or-lose-it account where you had to spend it all before the end of the year. Do you know if this is the case for yours? Would hate to see you build up the account and then have to lose the $$ for not spending it. (We use an HSA, which builds up and is never forfeited.)

    • Reply Ashley |

      I’ll double check to be sure, but I’m almost positive our FSA is use-it-or-lose it. I’ve already reached my annual max (the cap is $2,500) and I’m pretty sure we’ll run through it between the kids’ appointments, my well-woman exam coming up soon, and hubs – who has finally agreed to get a vasectomy!!!!! But, if not, we’re going to make sure we spend it on orthodontics stuff for hubs. So one way or another, we’ll make sure the money gets spent on health-related stuff and doesn’t get forfeited.

  • Reply Juhli |

    I did use FSA monies for my braces a few years back so do look into it. I was a dental expense and actually listed on the reimbursement form under dental.

  • Reply Sarah |

    I’m more blown away by the fact that a well-child visit for a 4-year-old is $400! It’s been awhile since I’ve had a little one. Is that really the going rate?? Glad you were able to pay it without a second thought.

    • Reply Ashley |

      After reading comments I double-checked everything and even called to verify with our insurance company directly. I guess it’s accurate that they DO charge for well-child checks, but the majority of the $800 was actually from immunizations (not from the “well child check-up”).

  • Reply Cory |

    I would double check that your insurance shouldn’t have covered the check up. Preventive care should be covered by all insurance plans since ACA went into effect. Maybe the provider coded it wrong when they submitted to insurance.

    • Reply Parul jain |

      I’d also suggest the same. I’d look at the EOB from the insurance company very carefully to check if they actually applied it towards your deductible and also ask the doctor’s office about what response they got from the insurance company.
      Also, I know, sometimes the Dr office will send the bill in advance, even when the claim is pending with the insurance.

  • Reply shana |

    You should definitely check with the insurance company first and/or make sure that the pediatrician billed the correct insurance plan, especially if you switched at the beginning of the year. If the insurance plan is through an employer, preventive care is required to be covered and not subject to the deductible. Sometimes however, the doctor’s office doesn’t put in the correct preventive care billing code or doesn’t bill the correct insurance. Then, sometimes the insurance company processes the claim incorrectly. So you should always double check both before paying.

  • Reply Kathryn |

    I have a love/hate relationship with FSA accounts. About 18 months ago my husband changed jobs and we enrolled in an FSA, when he separated from the company we were told we needed to use the funds by the last day of the month (he quit mid-month) or lose it. Fortunately, I knew of the FSA store, and thanks to Swagbucks was able to spend the funds and earn Swagbucks. He then switched to a new employer and again we enrolled in an FSA, however despite searching the providers website and numerous calls to the company I was unable to know how ours were set up, resulting in a $500 loss at year end 2015 of unused funds. There was NO communication from the company letting us know this. On the flip side we did sign up to contribute $200/month in 2016. In March I broke my ankle and needed surgery. Even though we only ended up contributing $600 total in 2016 ( My husband switched jobs in April – he was paid monthly at the end of the month so we did not make an April contribution), we were able to use the full $2400 to cover deductibles and co-pays. In that instance it certainly benefitted us to have the FSA account.

    • Reply Ashley |

      Oh man! I kinda feel the love-hate thing, too. I like the idea of having this pot of pre-tax money sitting there at the ready, but it’s already been quite a hassle to deal with, upload appropriate receipts in a timely manner, etc.

  • Reply Shanna |

    Paying for a well check for small children when you have insurance is very rare. I would check the EOB and ask at the office to check the coding. And look at your Claims/Benefits disclosure-well checks are preventative. If, indeed, you have to pay for it. You should ask for the cash rate versus the insurance rate. They are generally very different.

So, what do you think ?