Are med expenses incurred prior to employment reimbursable from a flexible spending account with the employer?

Question

After leaving my former employer, and prior to beginning work with my new employer, our family incurred nearly $5,000 in unexpected out-of-pocket medical expenses. After leaving the former employer, rather than opting for COBRA coverage, we purchased health insurance in the private market. The unexpected medical expenses were not eligible for reimbursement from the flexible spending account that I had established at my former employer, since the expenses were incurred after coverage was terminated. Is there any way that these expenses can be eligible for reimbursement from the flexible spending account that I will establish at the new employer? Is there any way that these expenses can be tax deductible, and not be subject to the 7% income threshold?

Answer 1

NO.  I just had this happen to me.  I had lasik done 1 week before I the new plan year started thinking it would be covered and it's not.  I took out the maximum alotment per year to be taken out of my paycheck to cover it and now there telling me it doesn't count, so I told them fine cancel it then and they said you can't now i'm 200 in the hole per month on top of the 200 I know got to find to pay the lasik.  ******* b******s!

Answer 2

luvhrtz is correct.

Only expenses occurring during your plan year are eligible. And for a new employee your plan years started when you joined the plan The good news about the FSA is you can submit receipts for things like band aids, Tylenol  etc. Stores like Target are now printing a health total at the bottom of the receipt to make filing easier.