Help me spend $2k. In 6 weeks. With restrictions.

May 19, 2007 6:15 PM

MedicalFSAFilter. Again. Have $2000 to spend in 6 weeks, had hoped to spend it on ugly teeth. Have pits in enamel on front teeth due to high fever (or maybe the medicine that brought that fever down) I had as a child. Said pits are ugly and brown, and I worry are just cavities waiting to happen. Dentist has mentioned veneers, but they aren't eligible for reimbursement. Any way to treat them that is reimbursable?

I looked here (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html) and found that veneers wouldn't be reimbursable. Is there any treatment for this that would be? Is it even something I should worry about? Am I going to wind up with front teeth with 5 or 6 fillings on the front of each of them, or it is purely a cosmetic thing?

I've tried Googling but all I can find is info about how important it is not to let these pits develop on your children's teeth. It's a bit late for that, as I'm 36, and the pits are already there. So now what?

(And if I can't spend the $2k on my teeth, how should I spend it? I've already had Lasik, FSAs don't cover liposuction ... any other dental or medical stuff worth investigating for that approximate amount? Dumb me for not checking that veneers were covered before I put the money in an FSA, I know. )

posted by Jaie to Health & Fitness (13 answers total)

When I had my veneers done my dentist (without me asking) claimed the veneers as something else that was covered under my insurance. I guess the material they use for veneers can be used for other procedures.

So if you were inclined you could talk to your dentist and explain your situation or try a different dentist.
posted by rdurbin at 7:25 PM on May 19, 2007

Crowns would be covered, but that's sort of drastic if it turns out only to be a cosmetic issue. You could probably do two of them for $2K. If you waited until the end of the year, you could do several more after the start of next year.
posted by cabingirl at 7:52 PM on May 19, 2007

My dentist submitted paperwork, Xrays, and photos to my insurance company showing that I needed two veneers due to eroded enamel. The insurance company approved a reimbursement for 50% of the expense.

You have to get approval in advance but it can be done.
posted by Soda-Da at 7:53 PM on May 19, 2007

Oh, I missed the part about having to spend it in 6 weeks. Why is that?
posted by cabingirl at 7:58 PM on May 19, 2007

Flexible Healthcare Spending Accounts roll over and you lose the amount in them at the end of the fiscal year, cabingirl.
posted by SpecialK at 8:16 PM on May 19, 2007

Ah. It's the calendar year at every employer I'm familiar with (my own, my fiance's, my family members'). Is it an industry thing at your job?
posted by cabingirl at 9:43 PM on May 19, 2007

Response by poster: Fiscal year ends June 31 for me. Which is another part of the problem; I thought it was Dec. 31 too, but I was wrong. Thus, the time crunch.
posted by Jaie at 10:11 PM on May 19, 2007

Did you get a physical with a thorough work up? Opthamologist visit and new glasses? Prescriptions for allergies, etc..?
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:18 PM on May 19, 2007

Sorry, just saw the lasik thing. Also, go to a chiropractor and get a massage?
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:19 PM on May 19, 2007

If you are a chunk maybe you can get your doctor to write an exercise prescription and cover a gym membership with the money? I don't think this is possible, but look into it.
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:21 PM on May 19, 2007

Response by poster: I've thought about the gym membership, BrotherCaine, but as I've lost about 40 pounds in the past year I don't think they'd go for it as only now becoming a medical necessity.
posted by Jaie at 9:38 AM on May 20, 2007

We ended up with a big overage and bought a home defibrillator. My husband has a business dealing with the public where we plan to keep it, which made it slightly more potentially useful. It was better than giving the money to the government, or whoever gets the money you don't spend.
posted by MsElaineous at 5:09 PM on May 20, 2007

Depending on how you lost that 40 lbs., It might be worth going to the doctor about it. That is a lot of weight for most people to lose without a drastic lifestyle change or intestinal parasite. I lost 30 lbs. in three months once, but I was exercising 8 hours a day.
posted by BrotherCaine at 8:38 PM on May 21, 2007