Lifestyle Spending Account

Your LSA reimbursement claim must be for a service or expense under this list. Eligible expenses must be incurred during the calendar quarter for which you are being reimbursed and submitted within 15 days following the end of the quarter.

Eligible expenses are determined by Ohio State, and the list is reviewed regularly for accuracy and integrity. The list and examples demonstrate types of allowable expenses and are subject to change. Prior reimbursement of an expense does not guarantee its continued eligibility. Please consult the list of eligible expenses before submitting a claim for LSA reimbursement.

• Adaptive Sports (i.e., equipment, program/league fees)
• Art/Hobby Classes & Equipment/Materials (i.e., paint brushes, sewing, manual woodworking hand tools, model kits/supplies, Lego, design apps.)
  • Excludes electric or gas-powered tools & machinery, 3D printers
• Athletic Apparel & Shoes (i.e., running, dance, hiking)
• Backpacking/Camping/Hiking Gear (i.e., backpack, tarp/tent, sleeping bag/pad, compass/altimeter/locator beam, headlamp/flashlight, first aid kit, whistle/air horn)
  • Excludes food/nutritional supplements, Axes/hatchets/knives, propane/other fuel
• Back-Up Child Care/Elder Caregiving*
  • Excludes pre-tax DCFSA eligible expenses
• Bicycle Repair & Bicycle Safety Equipment (i.e., helmet, headlights, reflectors/reflecting tape)
• Bicycle Sharing/Rental Programs (i.e., CoGo, Team Buckeye Bike Lease)
• Board Games & Puzzles
• Books/Reading (including eBooks, audio/digital books, newspaper subscription)
  • Excludes eBook devices/readers/tablets
• Botanical Garden/Museum/Zoo (i.e., membership, entry fees)
• Budget-Tracking Software & Apps (i.e., EveryDollar, Mint)
• Car/Auto: Emergency/Unexpected Automobile Repair (tires, brakes, )
  • Excludes fuel, accessories & routine maintenance (i.e., oil change, tune-up)
• Child Jogging Stroller, Bike Seat, Bike Trailer, Baby Backpack Hiking Carrier
• Club (Social & Professional) Membership & Dues (i.e., Faculty Club, Executive Health)
• Cooking Classes
• CPR, AED, First Aid Certifications & CERT
• Credit Counseling
• CSA/Produce Buy Club (i.e., Bushel & A Peck, Yellowbird Foodshed, Franklinton Farms, New Century)
• Cultural Events (i.e., lectures, exhibit, concert/performance tickets)
• Dance Classes
• Education/Class Related Fees: Course, Program & Learning Technology (employee only)
  • Excludes fees covered under Faculty & Staff Tuition Assistance Plan, late payment & non-tuition related fees
• Emotional Wellbeing, Meditation & Mindfulness Apps (i.e., Calm, Happify, Talkspace)
• Energy & Alternative Therapy (i.e., Float, Reiki, Healing Touch, Cryo)
• Exercise/Sport Equipment & League Fees (i.e., yoga, golf, soccer, tennis, softball, pickleball)
  • Also includes home equipment: mats, dumbbells, foam roller, resistance bands
• Exercise Machines: Indoor/Outdoor (i.e., elliptical, bike, treadmill, rower)
• Experiential and Sporting Events (i.e., escape rooms, fishing trips, hiking guides)
• Financial Advisor/Planning Services/Classes
• Fitness Center/Club/Gym or Studio Membership
• Fitness Games for Game Consoles
• Fitness Trackers (i.e., Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura Ring)
  • Excludes accessories such as extra bands/straps & chargers
• Gardening Tools & Supplies (i.e., hand tools, seeds/starter supplies, raised beds, pots, cages/stakes, composting)
  • Excludes lawn irrigation, lawn supplements, riding lawn mowers, tractors and other electric or gas-powered tools & machinery
• Health/Fitness Apps (i.e., Beachbody, Flo, Nike Training Club, Peloton)
• Home Air Purifier/Humidifier/Water Filter/Smoke, Radon, or Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Home Emergency/Unexpected Repair of Select Major Appliance or Home Heating/Cooling System
  • Includes only: hot water heater, furnace/HVAC, refrigerator, stove/oven, washer/dryer
  • Excludes small appliances and routine maintenance (i.e., filter replacement, gutter/duct/fireplace or chimney cleaning, HVAC tune-up, firewood & heating fuel)
• Home Fresh Food Meal Delivery Services (i.e., Freshly, HelloFresh, Purple Carrot)
• Home Office Ergonomic Equipment & Supplies (i.e., balance-ball chair, standing desk, footrest, split-keyboard, trackball, laptop stand)
• Home Utility Service Disconnection/Shut-off Avoidance (electric, gas, water)
  • Disconnection notice showing past due amount and expected/possible disconnection date must be submitted
• Identity Theft Services
• Martial Arts & Self-Defense Classes/Membership (i.e., kickboxing, karate, krav maga, self- defense)
• Massage Services/Therapy: Non-Medical (without a prescription)
  • Excludes other spa services, Botox/injectables, facials, manicures/pedicures, waxing
• Music – Streaming Music App/Memberships, CDs, Vinyl,
• Music Classes and Instruments (i.e., guitars, drumsticks, sheet music, lessons)
• National/State Park Entrance & Camping Fees
• Outdoor Sporting-Related Expenses (i.e., license/equipment for fishing, skiing, kayaking)
• Parking at Work – Hourly Parking & Daily or Monthly Permit/Pass (not payroll deducted)
  • Excludes parking citations/tickets & permits paid through monthly payroll deduction*
• Pet Adoption, Sitting and Walking Expenses (includes walking equipment: harness, leash, lead)
  • Excludes routine care (i.e., food/treats, cages, bowls, beds) & vet expenses (i.e., exams, vaccines, medications)
• Personal Growth Coaching or Classes (i.e., life coaching, parental skill counseling, executive counseling)
• Photography/Videography Lessons & Equipment (i.e., camera, camera lens, drone)
• Physical Fitness Classes/ PersonalTraining or Sports Lessons (i.e., yoga, spinning, CrossFit, pickleball, tennis)
• Race Registration Fees (i.e., marathon, triathlon, Pelotonia)
• Scales for Food & Body Weight
• Sleep Support Products/Apps (i.e., blackout curtains, eye mask, orthopedic pillows, white noise, weighted blanket, Yours App, Sleep Reset)
• Stress Management Classes
• Tax Preparation/Software Fees
• Transportation to/from Work (i.e., bus pass*, rideshare, taxi)
  • Excludes COTA Bus Pass Program through payroll deduction
• Tutoring (employee only)
• Weight Management/Nutritional Programs & Apps: Non-Medical (i.e., Noom, WW)
  • excludes food purchases, nutritional supplements, weight loss medications

*These items may also be covered under other Ohio State benefits (i.e., Dependent Care FSA). Expenses that are fully covered by another Ohio State benefit may not be submitted for double reimbursement from the LSA. Expenses that are eligible for coverage under a medical/prescription drug plan are not eligible for reimbursement from the LSA.

Ineligible Expenses

Such as, but not limited to:

• Any expenses not explicitly listed
• Weapons, weapon components or ammunition
• Items illegal for procurement, use or consumption in Ohio
• Sports betting/lottery/gambling apps & games
• Marijuana in any form (including concentrate, extract, plants and seeds)
• E-cigarettes, vaping and tobacco products
• Restaurants and alcohol

Is an LSA like other benefit spending accounts?

An LSA works differently than other benefit spending accounts, such as Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA). Key points to know about an LSA:

• The type of expenses that may be reimbursed from an LSA do not qualify as exempt from taxes by the IRS. Payments made to you from your LSA are considered taxable income at the time of reimbursement. You will not pay taxes on LSA funds that you do not use. Ohio State will receive a record of reimbursements and process the taxes in your pay shortly after reimbursement.
• Expenses eligible for reimbursement under your FSA or HRA are not eligible to be reimbursed with your LSA funds. LSAs also cannot be used to reimburse your employee benefit contributions.

Can I use the LSA to pay for benefit premiums, copays and deductibles?

No, the LSA cannot be used on medical expenses or anything that has been prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Can I use the LSA to reimburse expenses for my spouse or dependents?

No, the LSA benefit is offered to eligible OSU employees to support overall health and wellness. Family members (i.e., your spouse, domestic partner, children, etc.) are not eligible for this benefit.

Can I use the LSA for my child’s tutoring?

You can only use LSA funds for tutoring for yourself, not your dependents.

Do I have to be enrolled in a Ohio State’s medical plan to be eligible for the LSA?

You don’t have to be enrolled in a medical plan in order to be eligible to participate in the LSA?

What if I leave Ohio State before the end of a calendar quarter?

Employees who terminate employment prior the end of a calendar quarter have 15 days from their termination date to submit a reimbursement request for eligible expense incurred from the start of given quarter through termination date.

If I was hired later in the calendar year, will the LSA be prorated for the quarters I missed?

The LSA is not prorated. You are eligible to participate at the beginning of the calendar quarter following your hire date into an eligible position.

If my spouse and I are both eligible Ohio State employees do we each receive $125 per quarter?

Yes. If you are both employees, in eligible positions, you will each be able to access your own LSA accounts. You will need to submit documentation with your individual names listed. You both may not submit the same purchase or receipt for double reimbursement. e.g. If you purchased a peloton bike together, only one of you can submit a $125 claim towards that one purchase.

Can I submit claims incurred during a previous quarter?

No. There is a 15-day grace period for claim submissions per calendar quarter.

Can future-dated claims be submitted?

No. Expenses must be incurred during the applicable calendar quarter and submitted by the claim filing deadline.

If I purchase an item online (e.g., through Amazon), what is the acceptable proof of purchase/receipt? Will an email confirmation be accepted?

For many online retailers, you can print or download your invoice when your order is completed/delivered. Documentation must contain all required elements, and an email confirmation may not contain all the essential information needed.

Will a bank statement or Venmo payment be sufficient proof of receipt for LSA reimbursement (e.g., a gym membership that is automatically deducted from my account)?

Please ask the vendor or service provider for a receipt. Acceptable documentation must contain all required information.

Can I submit a purchase more than once?

No. A purchase and its supporting documentation (receipt) may only be submitted one time. You may not submit claims for duplicate reimbursement.

How will I get reimbursed?

Reimbursements are paid via check or direct deposit. It may take up to seven (7) business days to verify direct deposit information. If a reimbursement is submitted prior to this verification, a check will be mailed to the home address on file.

What type of documentation is required for reimbursement?

Documentation will be required when the reimbursement is requested. Documentation must contain:

• Date of purchase or service period
• Service provider/Merchant name
• Amount that was paid
• The employee’s full name
• Description of the eligible well-being product or service

If the receipt does not include the description or employee full name, they can be handwritten on the receipt but all other elements must be printed from the merchant.

What happens if my purchase cost exceeds my LSA balance?

For example, if I purchase a $500 home fitness machine in January and submit a reimbursement claim, will I automatically receive the $125 each quarter thereafter? Is it an option to receive $500 all at once?

In this example, you will receive $125 for this fitness machine purchase if this is your only claim submitted in the first quarter. You can not receive additional funds for this in future quarters. You are welcome to submit other expenses for the other three calendar quarters to receive the full $125 per quarter.

Claim reimbursements are based on the service (purchase) date, and you are only eligible to receive up to $125 for the quarter in which the item was purchased or the service provided. You will not be able to receive all $500 at once and you may only submit a claim for the purchased item or service once.

Are family gym memberships or zoo passes eligible for reimbursement?

Yes. Family memberships are eligible for reimbursement as long as you are covered by the family membership.

If I am enrolled in a wellness program that has a reduction in pricing or Ohio State subsidy (e.g., WW/Weight Watchers) could the LSA be used to supplement my the program costs?

Employees can use the LSA for out-of-pocket expenses for wellness programs that are not medically prescribed.

Is a service such as mental health therapy considered an eligible expense?

Therapies will be considered for reimbursement under the LSA if they are not services already covered under the medical plan, or medically prescribed therapy. Your Ohio State medical plans cover visits to mental health professionals. In addition, you can use up to five free counseling sessions through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and anything your medical plan covers before using the LSA funds.

Are there any discounted wellness services for Ohio State employees?

Prior to purchasing your well-being items or services, there may be ways to save money and stretch your dollars further.

• Visit the YP4H Discounts website to find wellness discounts offered exclusively to Ohio State employees (gyms, clubs, massage, wellness and more).
• Visit Buckeye Nation Rewards for home and lifestyle discounts offered to Ohio State employees. Use your employee login to view.
• Visit the Virgin Pulse store, located in your YP4H portal, to browse discounted fitness trackers, equipment, and other health related items.

What happens if my claim is denied?

In the event your claim is denied, you will receive an email or mailed notice from HealthEquity providing an explanation of the denial.

Will I be taxed on LSA funds that aren’t used?

No, unused funds will not be taxed.

How do I contact HealthEquity for support?

Call HealthEquity Customer Support at 877-924-3967 or chat live via the HealthEquity participant portal in Workday. Please have your employee ID number available, as you may need to provide the last four digits to locate your account. To find your employee ID number, log into Workday and view your profile. The number is under Job Details. If HealthEquity asks for your Social Security Number, use your employee ID number instead. Ohio State does not provide Social Security Numbers to HealthEquity.