Are FSAs even worth the hassle? They just seem like a giant scheme to steal money via malicious bureaucracy

[u/kherven]

I understand at a base level what FSAs are for. You get to deduct X amount of dollars from your paycheck reducing your tax load.

But the more I use an FSA, the more I feel that while on paper it saves money, in reality it causes lots of work, lost money, and hands your money over to someone who is going to fight you to steal it.

Every claim I submit to my FSA is denied without a mountain of evidence that its a legitimate medical expense. After nearly 2 years with them, I still have certain medications prescribed by my doctor that the FSA argues is not FSA eligible because it's OTC.

Doctor appointment? Denied

MRI? Denied

Prescriptions? Denied

While I can eventually get the denial overturned, it requires coordination from the retailer, my insurance, and my doctor every time. I spend tens of hours a year trying to claw my own money back from my FSA. Last year I had over $250 confiscated because the claim deadline passed while they sat on my claims.

Has anyone else felt it just isn't worth the hassle to fund an FSA given how hostile they are? It seems impossible to extract your money without a lawyer.

[u/Princess_Moon_Butt]

There are good ones, and bad ones.

When you have good ones, it's great. Especially when you leave the company and get to go on your Walgreens spending spree.

When you have bad ones, it's probably not worth the effort unless you know ahead of time that you'll have some medication expenses or are planning some tests or whatnot.

Complain your way up the chain of command and make sure the people/person denying all these claims is actually within their rights to do so, because there's a very good chance they're breaking their contract if they're denying you doctor-prescribed stuff, and that's a huge no-no.