Benefits January 2, 2001

IRS Offers a "Fat" Chance

January 2, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The IRS says that participants in employer-sponsored medical savings accounts and flexible spending accounts may include obesity treatments for weight loss as a medical expense in 2001.
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The new policy appears in IRS Publication 502. Treatments covered by the new policy include:

  • physician-prescribed behavioral counseling
  • nutritional counseling
  • pharmacology
  • surgery

However, health club dues, over-the-counter products and nutritional supplements are not covered.

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According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), 26% of Americans are obese, resulting in $100 billion in health care treatment costs per year.

The AOA petitioned the IRS to include the treatments.

A guide to the new policy is available on the AOA site .

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