Anew year brings with it new opportunities, a chance to make — and maybe even keep — fresh resolutions. It’s a blank slate with 365 days of possibilities.
Unfortunately, the new year also brings with it the flu season and a host of other viruses and maladies. Along with Influenza A and B, there’s the common cold, RSV, sinus infections and all-too-common allergies.
Seasonal influenza activity hit the United States unusually early in 2022 and remains high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there have been at least 20 million flu illnesses, with 42 states reporting high or very high rates of influenza-like illnesses. It’s the first active flu season since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can you tell the difference between the common cold and the flu? One way is by differentiating the symptoms. For example, symptoms of colds typically include a sore throat, a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headaches and body aches. The average adult in the U.S. contracts two to three colds per year.
Some flu symptoms — coughing, a runny nose and headaches — are the same as those of a cold. However, adults suffering from the flu also often experience a sore throat, a fever, fatigue and chills.
You can reduce your chances of contracting a cold and the flu by following healthy habits, such as avoiding close contact with people who are sick, washing your hands often, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. Other recommendations include getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids and eating nutritious food.
Reducing the Impact of Respiratory Viruses
If you do get the flu or even just a common cold, it can keep you down for at least a few days. Missing work cannot only make a big dent in terms of your job productivity but also your bank account from reduced income.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lessen the severity of the flu and other seasonal viruses and illnesses — protecting both your health AND your wallet. One is keeping a supply of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and other products like cough drops to quickly soothe a sore throat and tissues with lotion to make your nose look less like Rudolph’s.
The bonus for those with a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) is that they can use these funds to pay for these types of purchases. That wasn’t always the case, though. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, that was signed into law on March 27, 2020 expanded the list of HSA- and FSA-eligible products to include OTC drugs.
In addition to common OTC medications, such as Advil, Aleve, Excedrin, Motrin and Tylenol, your HSA or FSA funds can be used to purchase allergy medicines for which you’d normally pay out of pocket. Similarly, OTC medications for cold and flu — i.e., Mucinex, Tylenol Cold & Flu and Sudafed — are eligible for purchase using your HSA or FSA — all without a prescription. No doctor’s appointment necessary, and no need to spend time in a crowded waiting room with all those germs!
Read more: FSAs, HSAs and HRAs in 2023: New Rules for the New Year
Being Prepared and Relieving Your Symptoms
To better equip you to fight the flu and other respiratory illnesses so common this time of the year, we’ve compiled a list of products you might want to have in stock. Remember, though, before making a purchase with your FSA or HSA to verify that your expense is qualified.
● Antihistamines: These products treat allergy symptoms such as congestion, itchy eyes, swollen nasal passages and sneezing by blocking the effects of histamine.
● Decongestants: These medicines contain pseudoephedrine, which enables improved air flow through your nostrils by constricting blood vessels in your nasal passages and sinuses.
● Nasal sprays: Similar to the effects of decongestants, this type of saline spray reduces nasal congestion by shrinking swollen blood vessels and tissues in your nose. It also helps treat rhinitis and sinusitis by keeping the cilia in your nose healthy
● Nasal irrigation products: Another OTC product for your sniffer, this one helps wash out mucus and allergens. You simply pour a saltwater (saline) solution into one nostril, and it flows through your nasal cavity into the other nostril and then out.
● Fever reducers/pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen are designed to provide immediate and lasting relief from body aches and fever.
● Cough suppressants: These products, which contain dextromethorphan, work by blocking your cough reflex. Examples include Delsym and Robitussin. If you’re looking for an OTC product to thin mucus and clear it from your head, throat and lungs, pick one made with guaifenesin (i.e., Mucinex).
● Humidifiers: Devices that add moisture to the air to prevent the dryness that can cause irritation in many parts of the body, humidifiers help diminish your cough and loosen mucus in your chest. They also help soothe a sore throat and reduce stuffiness caused by the common cold and other respiratory conditions.
● Vaporizers: A type of humidifier, these devices release water vapor or steam to increase moisture levels in the air (humidity). The result? A boosted immune system and decreased survival of the flu and similar viruses in the air.
Getting the most out of your HSA/FSA shouldn’t require a guessing game. At Binkey, we help you find, pay — and save — on healthcare. How? Binkey's My FSA | HSA Assistant is now available to help you quickly identify eligible health products as you shop. Enjoy the savings and never lose FSA funds ever again! Click here to download!
