Can you buy eye drops with an HRA?

Usually, yes, if your employer’s plan allows it. A health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) pays you back for qualified medical expenses, and since the CARES Act, the IRS counts over-the-counter medicines as qualified without a prescription. Quell is an over-the-counter drug, so it generally fits. Your plan document has the final word, and you’ll need an itemized receipt to submit a claim.

How an HRA works

An HRA is an account your employer sets up and funds. IRS Publication 969 says an HRA must receive contributions from the employer only; you can’t pay into it from your paycheck the way you can with some other health accounts. When you buy something that qualifies, you pay first and then ask the plan to reimburse you, and Publication 969 notes those reimbursements for qualified medical expenses aren’t taxed.

Because the employer funds it, the employer also writes the rules. Two coworkers at different companies can both have an HRA and still find that one plan reimburses over-the-counter items and the other covers only deductibles and copays. That’s why the plan’s summary matters more than any general article, including this one.

What the CARES Act changed for over-the-counter medicine

For close to a decade, over-the-counter medicines needed a prescription before an FSA or HRA could reimburse them. The IRS newsroom explains that the CARES Act changed the rules for HSAs, Archer MSAs, health FSAs and HRAs, making over-the-counter products and medications reimbursable without a prescription for amounts paid after December 31, 2019.

Publication 969 now states that over-the-counter medicine, whether or not it’s prescribed, counts as medical care. In plain terms: at the federal level, you don’t need a doctor’s note to have an over-the-counter eye drop reimbursed. Whether your particular plan has adopted that rule is the remaining question.

Do lubricating eye drops count?

Quell is sold over the counter with a standard Drug Facts panel, the format FDA requires for nonprescription drugs. Its Uses line reads: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. That makes it a medicine, not a cosmetic or a general wellness product, which is the distinction most plan administrators look for. You can see the whole panel on our Drug Facts page.

What we can’t tell you is how your administrator will code a specific purchase. Some plans keep a list of eligible product categories; others review each claim. If you’re unsure, ask the administrator before you order, or submit one claim and see how it’s handled before buying more.

Check your plan first

A few minutes with your benefits paperwork answers most questions. Look for these points:

• Whether over-the-counter medicines are listed as eligible, or whether the plan is limited to items like deductibles, copays or premiums.
• Whether you file claims online, through an app, or on a paper form.
• What the plan wants as proof: usually an itemized receipt showing the date, the seller, the product and the amount.
• How long after a purchase you can submit a claim, and whether unused money carries over.
• Whether the plan issues a benefits card that can be used at checkout, or only reimburses you afterward.

If your employer offers both an HRA and an FSA, the plan documents also say which pays first. Our guide on HSA and FSA funds for eye drops covers those accounts separately.

Getting the receipt you’ll need

The IRS advises keeping receipts for over-the-counter purchases so you can submit reimbursement claims. After you order Quell, the confirmation email lists what you bought and what you paid, and you can look up the order again at any time on the order lookup page. Getting a receipt for your order walks through finding it and what it shows.

Save it as a PDF or screenshot at the time of purchase rather than months later at claim time. If shipping was charged, keep in mind that some plans reimburse only the product line and not the shipping line, so the itemization helps the reviewer.

Steps to claim a Quell order

• Confirm with your plan that over-the-counter medicines are eligible.
• Order through the checkout as a guest; no account is needed.
• Save the confirmation email or the order details from the lookup page.
• Log in to your HRA portal and start a new claim for an over-the-counter medicine.
• Upload the receipt and enter the purchase date and amount exactly as shown.
• Keep a copy of the claim and the receipt in case the plan asks for it later.

If you return an unopened bottle for a refund within 30 days of delivery, tell your plan, since you shouldn’t be reimbursed for something you were refunded for.

If the claim is denied

A denial usually comes down to one of three things: the plan doesn’t cover over-the-counter items, the receipt didn’t show enough detail, or the claim was filed outside the plan’s window. The denial notice should say which. If it’s documentation, resubmit with the itemized order details. If it’s the plan design, the HRA simply doesn’t reimburse that category, and an FSA or HSA, if you have one, may still work.

Questions about your order itself, such as needing a copy of the details, can go to our contact page or 615.465.6041 during M–F 9AM–5PM CST. We can’t advise on taxes or your benefits; your plan administrator or a tax professional can.