If your employer offers a high deductible health plan, you might be able to claim the cost of a standing desk. You will need a doctor’s note for this. If you’re self-employed, you can also deduct the cost by applying for a high deductible health plan yourself.
Up to $1.350 per individual can be deducted from insurers. This covers many types of standing desks. Families can double this deductible to $2.700. Both FSA and HAS funds apply, but only in the conditions of a better health plan with included deductibles.
When you want to take advantage of this, you will need to purchase the standing desk yourself and then you need to apply for reimbursement from the insurer.
What is HAS and why you need it for your standing desk?
HSA or the Health Savings Account is an account in which you pay monthly, normally through your wage via the employer. These types of accounts have been created as part of the savings account for the tax-advantaged. Since 2003, they can be accessed for deductibles.
If you work in IT in remote jobs as a freelancer such as when you’re a programmer or web designer, you might think you don’t qualify for such plans which are normal for employees only.
But you can also opt-in for high deductible insurance on your own. It might be best to discuss this plan with a financial advisor and it may not be worth it at the same level as for an employee.
Now, the big issue is that you also need a note from your doctor which states you need the standing desk for health reasons. When you’re ready to apply, here’s what you need.
- A receipt from the doctor or any type of written confirmation such as an email
- A completed claims form
These documents are normally sent to the insurer via the official website. In some cases, your employer might also ask for a copy of the doctor’s note for archiving purposes. How much time will it take to make the claim?
This should not take longer than 30 days. If there are any reasons why this deductible would be off the table, you would have the chance to return the standing desk, especially to the sellers offering a 30-day free return policy.
HSA vs FSA – which one is best for deductibles such as a standing desk?
Both HAS and FSA accounts are similar. However, there are many differences which can impede your purchase and any other health deductibles you would need in the future. Here’s a head to head comparison.
- An FSA needs to be set up by your employer and all employees should contribute. A HSA is already included in many (but not all) high deductible health plans. This is where the standard $1.350 applies per employee.
- There is an upper limit for both the FSA and the HSA plans. $2.700 per year for the first plan and $3.500 per year for the HAS plan are these limits.
- Both savings can be accessed at any time through the year.
- In terms of documents and accessing the money, it is easy to deduct your standing desk’s cost through the HSA account based on the purchase receipt or invoice. On the FSA plan, you need a written statement from a seller and a proof that this deductible would not be already covered by another similar insurance plan.
- Changing contributions at any time is a valuable and practical financial tool. You can change the contribution to the HSA plan at any time, but it doesn’t need to exceed the maximum yearly amount of the plan. The FSA plan contribution is calculated and declared by the employer at the beginning of the financial year.
A few extra considerations
There are a few smaller details which might stop you from buying the best standing desk, via financial limitations. If you only declare a small taxable income and get the rest via bonuses and other types of indirect payments, you might be limiting your HSA deductibles. As most employers are interested to reduce the taxable income as much as possible, you may be way off the $1.350 sum you would hope to deduct.
Another consideration to make is when signing a new contract with a new employer. Consider asking a few more questions about the benefits you get apart from your salary, such as deductibles. If you already know you have health issues which require a bit more attention and a standing desk can help, you need to ask these questions.
If you’re a woman planning to get pregnant in the future, you might also need to ask your future employer about the HSA and FSA plans as you might use a standing desk or other types of helpful ergonomic furniture for better posture while at work.
When not to pay for a standing desk with health insurance
There are a few exceptions to these recommendations as well. For example, if you’re diabetic and need to deduct your insulin, you might want to limit other purchases which go through the insurer. This applies if you’re on all other medication as well.
Another important tip to consider is for those working with a chiropractor. It’s not just your doctor who can recommend you a standing desk purchase. If you’re already visiting a chiropractor for posture or back issues, you may take full advantage and have a written note for the insurer.
Companies with more than 15 employees might need to offer a standing desk to their employees if they have physical disabilities. If this is confirmed by a doctor, your HR department can purchase for you.
Final thoughts
Yes, you can get a prescription for standing. And yes, you can use it to purchase a standing desk via insurance. Your insurer will pay for your desk as long as you have a proper prescription and as long as the product is within the margins outlined above.
Have you made a claim yourself? How long did it take to see the deductible? Let us know in the comments section below.