# Self employed, taxes, healthcare and aca question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-employed-taxes-healthcare-and-aca-question/827080>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 2, 2019, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-employed-taxes-healthcare-and-aca-question/827080 "2019-01-02T04:47:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-employed-taxes-healthcare-and-aca-question/827080/21 "2019-01-06T21:02:24Z")

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> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> Looks like HCSA is another name for a healthcare FSA.
> 
> But I assure you that I have a “real” HSA, and it made me do 2 transactions when I bought a pack of gum or something alongside a prescription drug.

Interesting. And yours is the sort where you keep the money at the end of the year?

Admittedly, I nearly never make a transaction like that. Our spendier meds are usually mail order, and when we get a local prescription we usually pay with a regular card, because we’re trying to hoard those HSA funds.

I was very puzzled at my ability to purchase something at a regular store - which I didn’t realize until I was checking our accounts later. As noted, it was a **shoe store** and I’m pretty sure they had nothing HSA-eligible for sale.

(side note: we got a communication the other day saying we’d contributed too much and they were refunding it to us. That’s gonna be a mess. I think they mischaracterized the check i sent, repaying money spent incorrectly on two surgeries and that pair of shoes).

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-employed-taxes-healthcare-and-aca-question/827080/22 "2019-01-07T03:50:18Z")

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> [@Mama\_Zappa](#):
>
> Interesting. And yours is the sort where you keep the money at the end of the year?

I have a high-deductible PPO and the attached HSA is by HealthScope. My employer contributes a chunk every year and I can opt for payroll deductions for the rest. I have a use it or lose it FSA for childcare (each to meet) and could opt for a similar medical FSA, but I don’t see much advantage for that as I don’t make out the HSA or spend more than it on medical each year.

> [@](#):
>
> I was very puzzled at my ability to purchase something at a regular store - which I didn’t realize until I was checking our accounts later. As noted, it was a **shoe store** and I’m pretty sure they had nothing HSA-eligible for sale.

Maybe in my case it was a CVS-specific thing and not anything inherent in my card?

Shoe stores sell orthopedics, which are deductible if for a specific condition. And maybe they sell compression socks?

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