Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants And Your Flexible Spending Account

If your company offers you a flexible spending account, or FSA, you are likely looking to determine how much to stick in the account before the start of the new year. As you do so, you have to look at how much you expect to spend in covered medical and dental expenses. If you are considering getting dental implants in the next year, you to account for that in your flexible spending account or if they are a covered expense. Here are some frequently asked questions about dental implants and FSAs that should help to answer some of your questions.

Can I Use a Flexible Spending Account to Pay for Dental Implants?

Unfortunately, there is not a clear cut answer to whether or not you can use a flexible spending account to pay for dental implants. There are two main factors that need to be looked at when determining whether your FSA will or will not cover dental implants.

• Whether Your Insurance Company Covers Them

Generally speaking, your FSA will cover and deny many of the same things that your dental insurance will cover and deny. It is very rare that an employer uses a flexible spending account that covers and denies different treatments than the dental coverage they offer. As such, as a basic rule of thumb, if your insurance company covers dental implants, your FSA will as well. If they don't, your FSA typically won't. Always check with your insurance company to find out whether dental implants are a covered procedure or not.

• If the Implants Are Being Placed for Cosmetic Reasons

The second factor that helps to determine if your FSA can be used for dental implants is if the implants are being used for cosmetic reasons. If the only reason the implant is being placed is for a cosmetic reason, your FSA cannot be used to pay for the implant. There has to be a good reason why the implant needs to be placed and there have to be dental benefits. If you simply want to replace a discolored or chipped tooth or replace a crown you don't like the look of, you cannot use your flexible spending account. Always consult with your dentist to find out if an implant will be considered a cosmetic procedure or a needed dental procedure.

How Much Should I Place in My Flexible Spending Account for Dental Implants?

It is always important to carefully determine how much money to place in a flexible spending account. If you don't put enough money in the account at the beginning of the year, you lose the tax benefit you gained by placing money into the account versus paying out of pocket. On the other hand, if you place too much money in the account, you could lose excess money if it isn't used within that calendar year. As such, it is important to determine how much your dental implants will cost you before placing money into your flexible spending account.

The easiest way to determine how much your dental implants will cost you is to have a consultation with a dentist. During this consultation, they will tell you how many implants they recommend you have placed and how much those implants will cost. From there, you can figure out how much of the implant will be covered by insurance. From there, you can figure out how much you will be responsible for and place that amount in your FSA.

If your company offers a flexible spending account, you can use pre-taxed dollars to fund that account. This can help you save money when paying for medical and dental expenses. However, you have to be careful about not overfunding the account, or you could lose money, as the money in an FSA does not rollover at the end of the year. If you plan on getting dental implants, learning whether your FSA can be used to pay for the implants and how much to place in your FSA for them is important. Learning this information will help you to more appropriately fund your flexible spending account.