Otc Drugs

By Author: Roger Henkin
Total Articles: 13
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At some time or another in your life, you will need to buy over the counter medications (OTC drugs). Maybe you have a headache or heartburn, in which case you would need to get an over the counter pain reliever or an over the counter antacid medication. Over the counter medications are very useful for the times that you really do not need to see the doctor but you need something to help with some general ailments. You can get OTC drugs for such things as the flu, a cold, headaches, stomach problems to name just a few.

Unfortunately these over the counter medications are not covered on your health insurance and can sometimes get costly. People get used to paying a one set fee when they get prescriptions filled and when they need something simple the jump in the price can be shocking. There are times that your doctor will even recommend OTC drugs instead of prescribing something for you and those medications generally end up being costly.

Health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA) are great benefits that people can use to help with their OTC costs as well as other health benefits. ...
... HSA plans are generally great for two types of people. HSA is good for those that have little to no health problems and then it is good for those who have a large medication expense each month. This is because that everything that you spend on your medications and doctors visits is all put towards your deductible. Once you meet your deductible then your HSA kicks in and will pay for such things as your medications just like your co pay would. This helps to limit the amount of out of pocket expenses that you will incur.

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is one of the top tax advantages where financial accounts are concerned. It is set up through your employer allowing you to set a side a certain portion of your pay into an account to pay for your medical expenses down the road. This is a great plan to help with your out of pocket fees for OTC drugs. The money gets deducted right from your paycheck prior to the tax deductions so you get a huge savings in your payroll. The FSA plans are generally set up in a cafeteria plan and it done in the United States.

No matter which plan you choose to go with you can be sure that you will benefit greatly from either of these plans. You should talk with your employer to see what types of programs that they have available that will benefit you the most where OTC drugs are concerned.