A flexible spending account (or FSA) is a benefit many companies offer, and it can be really helpful if you have any medical expenses, small or large. Tax-free money (yes, it’s taken out pre-tax) is set aside from your check each pay period to spend on health-related expenses throughout the year. These days, more retailers are creating FSA-eligible hubs on their sites — Amazon launched its dedicated FSA/HSA store in 2017, so you can get your much-needed items with free and quick delivery if you’re a Prime member.
But you may be surprised by what’s covered by an FSA. Here’s how it works: When you begin a new job or during open enrollment — a period of time when you can change your benefit elections for the upcoming year— you can decide how much you want to put into that account for the next year. You then have to use all that money before the end of that calendar year. Many FSA programs offer a grace period, allowing you to spend it up until March 15 of the following year. After that, those funds return to your employer.
As for what you can use your FSA on, what is considered a “medical expense” is fairly broad. You can use it on things like insurance deductibles, prescription copayments, certain treatments and a variety of health-related items — like glasses, acne face washes and even massage guns.
If you participate in an FSA, it’s a good idea to use it throughout the year — rather than waiting until December and scrambling to spend the money. To help, I gathered a list of FSA-eligible products that you can purchase on Amazon; some are practical daily needs and some feel like splurgy (yet medical-related) treats.
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The best FSA-eligible items on Amazon
You can purchase FSA-eligible products in many places — including local pharmacies and big box retailers like Target and Walmart. Amazon has an FSA store that makes it easy to see what is covered. Plus, Prime members get fast, free shipping on many products.
Below, I rounded up a variety of FSA-eligible products available on Amazon. Everything on this list has either been recommended by experts in previous stories, comes highly recommended by NBC Select editors or has at least a 4-star average rating from at least hundreds of reviews on Amazon.
You can also use your FSA funds to stock up on allergy relief meds like Zyrtec, especially now that we’re in allergy season. The bottle has 30 pills and you get three travel packets that each have one pill. The main active ingredient in these antihistamine tablets is cetirizine hydrochloride, which can treat indoor allergies caused by dust, mold, and pet dander, and outdoor seasonal allergies caused by tree pollen, weeds, and grass.
This balm is in our guide to the best SPF lip balms. It’s made with zinc oxide, which is a compound that physically blocks the sun’s rays and prevents them from penetrating your skin, according to experts I’ve spoken to previously. In addition to offering UV protection, it has sweet almond oil to hydrate skin as you wear it, according to the brand.
NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio deals with bad rosacea and says this face sunscreen is her go-to. “Many skin care products I try leave my skin looking red and create a burning feeling,” she says. “This is the only sunscreen I’ve ever tried that doesn’t irritate my skin at all.” The oil- and fragrance-free formula is non-comedogenic (it won’t clog pores) and has niacinamide to soothe skin, according to EltaMD.
You can use this antifungal cream twice daily for a week to help eliminate athlete’s foot. The main ingredient is terbinafine hydrochloride, which targets and kills fungus. Apply it to clean feet and only use on infected areas.
NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin keeps these nasal strips at home because she suffers from allergies, which can cause congestion and lead to snoring. They work by opening up nasal passageways for easier breathing. “The nasal strips come in a pack of 26 and their adhesive has never irritated my sensitive skin,” she says. “I find that they usually stay in place overnight, too.”
You can use this antibiotic ointment on scrapes and cuts to help prevent bacterial infection. Experts have told us you can also use it to treat blisters for the same reason. The formula has bacitracin zinc, neomycin sulfate and polymyxin to prevent skin infections, according to the brand. After cleaning a wound, you can apply it before putting on a bandage.
These drops are my go-to if I have a special event or occasion. They instantly make the whites of your eyes brighter, so you look more awake and refreshed. The effects last for up to eight hours and they are FDA-approved. I’m not alone in my love for these drops — they have more than 10,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.
Yes, a massage feels great, but it also has medical benefits — including boosting circulation, reducing stress and increasing range of motion, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This foot massager is heated and has three modes — full massage, kneading and air pressure. The sleeves you slip your feet into can be removed and machine washed, plus the machine fits up to a men’s size 11 foot.
This NBC Select Wellness Award winner contains adapalene, an over-the-counter retinoid that’s frequently used to treat acne by reducing inflammation and cleaning pores, according to Differin. Experts also recommended it in our guide to treating acne scars. NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson says it’s gentle on her reactive skin while still being effective.
Experts recommend this salicylic acid cleanser in our guide to the best products for acne-prone skin. It also has LHA (lipohydroxy acid), which dermatologists told us is gentle on the skin. The formula is also free of oils, fragrances and parabens, making it a good choice for those with sensitive skin, according to the brand.
These pimple patches are made from hydrocolloid gel, which experts have previously told us can draw out oil and bacteria from pimples. “I like that these are a little more translucent than other patches I’ve tried because they blend well with my skin tone and don’t scream ‘hey I’ve got a pimple,’” says former NBC Select’s editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez.
Podiatrists recommend these toe separators to ease the pressure caused by a bunion by straightening the big toe. This toe separator is made of a comfortable flexible gel and is washable and reusable, according to the brand.
In explaining how to clean your ears, experts warn against trying to dig wax out of your canals because it can be damaging. These drops have cerumenolytic agents, which help soften and loosen excess earwax so it comes out more easily, according to the brand.
This cervical traction device inflates to gently stretch and straighten your neck. It’s is made from fleece that’s soft on the skin and you can easily adjust the tightness of it when you put it on by using the velcro straps.
You can use heating pads for a variety of things, including soothing back pain, menstrual cramps and more. I have this heating pad and like it because I can use it on larger areas, like my upper back and shoulders. I also appreciate that it has a 9-foot cord, making it easy to use in bed or when I’m on the couch — even if an outlet is not close. It also has a two-hour auto shut off, and a slide-button controller with three heat settings.
I’ve been wearing contact lenses for nearly 25 years and this has been my go-to solution for at least a decade. I find it to be gentle on my eyes and I don’t need more than a drop or two to moisturize my eyes after I’ve been wearing my contacts all day. This saline solution is hydrating and can also clean your contacts if they get smudged or dirty. The box comes with two 12-ounce bottles of solution and a plastic lens case.
Keep this 80-piece first-aid kit in your medicine cabinet or in the trunk of your car. It comes with everything you might need for minor wounds: like bandages, Neosporin (which is also FSA-eligible), Tylenol and gauze. Everything is contained within an easy-to-carry, organized case.
You can hold this no-touch thermometer away from the forehead, and it will still give an accurate reading. I’ve used it with my 4-year-old and find it to be quick and easy to use. My daughter even likes to help by taking her own temperature. Not only does the digital screen give you the exact temperature, it glows green if there is no fever, yellow if there is a mild fever and red if there is a moderate or high fever.
An at-home monitor can help you keep an eye on your numbers if you have concerns around your blood pressure. This one comes with a cuff that fits most large adult arms and it syncs with an app so you can store all your readings in one place. The backlit display shows your systolic and diastolic numbers in large font, making it easy to read from far away or if you have less than perfect eyesight.
Electrolyte mixes can rehydrate you on a hot day, after a workout or anytime you’re feeling a bit dehydrated. This mix has both electrolytes and glucose to hydrate you quickly, according to the brand. Each box has 14 single-use packets — you can mix one packet with as much as 16 ounces of water. It is available in eight flavors, including watermelon, lemonade and tropical punch.
The Wyze Scale X earned a spot on our list of the best smart scales because it is affordable and has lots of features — like muscle and bone mass metrics and compatibility with popular health apps like Apple Health — one should look for in this type of device. The digital screen shows one metric at a time in white text and pairs with an app that can show you trend charts. The battery life is up to 22 months with four disposable AAA batteries.
One of our favorite treatments for cracked heels, this ointment creates a barrier on top of your skin to seal in moisture. It has ceramides to help restore your skin’s barrier and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, according to the brand. The ointment has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, which means it’s suitable for sensitive skin.
This mouthwash, which comes in a pack of two, helps strengthen enamel while freshening your breath, according to Listerine. It is alcohol-free and contains fluoride, which helps prevent cavities.
If you always have a large amount of money left in your FSA account at the end of the year, consider splurging on a massage gun. Experts have previously recommended this one from Theragun, saying that it’s quiet and the five built-in speeds allow for a more customized massage. You can also download the Therabody app, which recommends guided wellness routines based on your behaviors. The app can pair with Apple Health and Google Fit.
Another item worth considering if you have a good amount of money left in your FSA just halfway into the year is the Oura Ring 4, which helps you track sleep, exercise, activity and other health-related stats. To help you track trends and goals, you can pair it with an app. It has an eight-day battery life and is made fully from titanium. NBC Select tech reporter Harry Rabinowitz says the ring is comfortable and finds the sleep and health tracking to be particularly helpful.
Frequently asked questions
A flexible spending account (often referred to as a FSA) is something some employers offer as an added health benefit. You’re able to deduct pre-taxed money from your paycheck and funnel it into a separate account that you can use for certain health care and medical expenses, including prescriptions, treatments and products.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sets a maximum of how much you can put into an FSA account each year — in 2025 that maximum was $3,300, while the max for 2026 is set at $3,400. However, your employer can set the limit to less than that.
There are a few ways that FSA accounts work. Many employers provide a debit card that you can use on eligible expenses. Other plans require you to submit receipts for eligible expenses so that you can get reimbursed after you’ve purchased them.
You can use money from your FSA account to pay for things like health insurance deductibles, trips to the emergency room, copays at the doctor’s office and prescriptions. Additionally, there are a number of health and medical related products that you can use your FSA money on.
A large array of products are available to everyone, while some — like a sleep apnea machine — require a letter of medical necessity from a doctor. Here, you’ll find a list of some of the product categories (some expected, some not so much) that are covered for most people under their FSA:
- Over-the-counter medications, including allergy medicine
- First-aid items like bandages and antiseptics
- Covid-19 supplies, such as masks and tests
- Reading glasses and contact lenses supplies
- Nasal sprays, inhalers and vaporizers
- Acne facial products
- Sunscreen and other SPF products
- Pregnancy and newborn-related items, like prenatal vitamins and breast pumps
- Menstruations products
- Muscle therapy products, like massage guns and back braces
- Foot care
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Why trust NBC Select?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, wellness and lifestyle. For this story, I rounded up FSA-eligible items that are recommended by experts and NBC Select staffers.
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