Eligible Product List

The SIGIS Eligible Product List is a list of eligible health care/medical products that qualify for purchase with an FSA or HRA payment card. The list has been reviewed and modified by the SIGIS Eligible Product List Working Group, a group of benefit plan administrators, merchants, and other SIGIS Members.

Merchants who wish use the SIGIS standard and process information inventory approval standard (IIAS) transactions must use the SIGIS Eligible Product List to identify their inventory so that eligible products can be identified and processed at the point of sale in accordance with the SIGIS specification. See the IIAS Merchant Certification section for more information.

Plan administrators will also find the SIGIS Eligible Product List to be a valuable resource in the development of plan criteria for identifying eligible products. The SIGIS List represents a unique tool that provides an industry-vetted list of eligible products that can be used in the administration of FSA/HRA card programs.

Accessing the Eligible Product List is easy – any SIGIS Member who has obtained Login information for the SIGIS Members Area can access the Eligible Product List. Simply click Login, enter your User Name and Password. Then, you will be able to click the “Access the Eligible Product List” link.

Important Notice: The IRS rules regarding over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and drugs were changed as of January 1, 2011. Please review the January 2011 Important Notice.

Member Login

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Access the Eligible Product List
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Access the Eligible Product List
To access the Eligible Products List, Members must obtain a SIGIS Members Area login.

To retrieve your SIGIS Members Area login information, please go to: http:/portal.sig-is.org/en/contact/sigispasswordrequest.asp. Enter the email address associated with your Membership contact name. Your login information will be emailed to you. Please note that you must be a registered contact with SIGIS.

Once you have a SIGIS Members Area login, you can download the Eligible Products List from the Members Area, as follows:
1. Go to the SIGIS website www.sig-is.org.
2. Click on the Members Login Link and enter your Members Area login information.
3. Click on the Eligible Products List link within the "Announcements" box
Does SIGIS assist members in determining which items are Section 213(d) eligible medical expenses?

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Does SIGIS assist members in determining which items are Section 213(d) eligible medical expenses?

Yes. SIGIS publishes an Eligible Product List for participating merchants to use as the basis to identify items in their inventory. Access to the Eligible Product List is available upon SIGIS membership approval. The Eligible Product List also enables plan administrators and third-party plan administrators (TPAs) to rely upon a more consistent identification of eligible medical items.
How often is the product list updated?

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How often is the product list updated?

The SIGIS Eligible Product List is updated monthly. Updates are generally available for download and use by the 9th business day of each month.
How is the Eligible Product List developed?

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How is the Eligible Product List developed?

SIGIS contracts with a company experienced in list management and development to oversee the list. Additionally, a SIGIS committee of plan administrators, merchants, and other SIGIS members reviews the list each month, including proposed product additions and deletions to ensure adherence with IRS requirements.
Is it required that merchants download the SIGIS product list?

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Is it required that merchants download the SIGIS product list?

One of the critical issues in supporting an IIAS solution for employer benefit plans and the third-party plan administrators (TPAs) that support these programs, is assurance that the items being approved through an IIAS solution meet the health care eligibility standards established by the IRS as defined in IRS Code Section 213(d) rules. As described above, SIGIS provides a standardized list of eligible health care-related items. While the IRS does not mandate the use of the SIGIS list, merchants supporting a SIGIS IIAS solution must use the SIGIS Eligible Product List for nationally-branded items. In addition, merchants may also flag private label and local market items as defined in the SIGIS Private Label Eligibility Criteria standards.

In some point-of-sale solutions, the third-party services may assist with loading the monthly updates to the merchants POS system.
What is the impact of the IRS OTC Notice on use of of FSA/HRA debit cards to purchase OTC drugs or medicines at IIAS merchants?

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What is the impact of the IRS OTC Notice on use of of FSA/HRA debit cards to purchase OTC drugs or medicines at IIAS merchants?

The SIGIS Eligible Product List has been updated to remove most OTC medicines and drugs.
Why are some items that Members have identified as health care not on the list?
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Why are some items that Members have identified as health care not on the list?
The source of the SIGIS Eligible Product List includes most nationally-distributed, regular-stock items. As such, the following types of items will generally not be included: items specially created for an individual merchant (including but not limited to private label items); a local, regional, or specialty item; bonus items (e.g., 2 ounces free); BOGOS (buy one, get one), or other in-and-out types of packaging with limited availability or distribution. Although these items will not be included in the data, they may in fact be eligible.

Private label/store brands will generally not be available for inclusion on the standard list produced by SIGIS. It is understood that some of these private label/store brand items are, in fact, eligible under IRS Code Section 213(d), and therefore, can be processed through the SIGIS IIAS. Merchants that choose to supplement their inventory of SIGIS identified eligible items with their own private label items are free to do so by following the process detailed in the Private Label Eligibility Criteria document. That document can be found at www.sig-is.org.

Additionally, dual-purpose items are not included as part of the standard list. These products may have both a medical purpose and a personal/cosmetic or general health purpose. Merchants are not permitted to identify dual-purpose items as eligible items in their IIAS solution. Examples of dual use items that would not be included:
- Baby Formulas/Nutritionals
- Dietary Supplements
- Vitamins (except prenatal vitamins)
FSA/HRA cardholders that have a doctor's order for dual-purpose items may submit their sales receipt along with the additional information required by their plan administrator and receive a manual reimbursement. The IRS has specific categories that are designated as eligible medical expenses and those that are not. Merchants should not make assumptions that “health care” products are IIAS-eligible. Merchants will find the Eligible Products Criteria document to be helpful in understanding the categories of eligible, non-eligible and dual-purpose items. The current Eligible Products Criteria document may be found on the SIGIS website at www.sig-is.org.
Submitting a Product for the Eligible Product List
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Submitting a Product for the Eligible Product List
When submitting a product(s) to add to the Eligible Product List, it is recommended that you first read the Eligibility Criteria located on the www.sig-is.org website. Please access this information via the following link: http://portal.sig-is.org/imwp/download.asp?ContentID=13799

Also, for more information on Private Label Eligibility Criteria, please access the following link: http://portal.sig-is.org/en/join/documents/SIGISPrivateLabelEligibilityCriteriaPolicy-12-12-07.doc.

There are two options for submitting Eligible Product List items additions and deletions:
1. Submit items via an online form. This process is great for submitting up to 25 items. For this process:
  - Log into the Members Area of the SIGIS website at www.sig-is.org.
  - Click on the “Eligible Product List (EPL)” link in the Announcements section, a new window will open.
  - Click on the "Data > Submit - Upload" menu tab.
  - Click on the "Manual Entry" tab. Enter the item level information.
  - Click on the "Verify Items" button.
  - Correct any errors.
  - Click on the “Upload Valid Items” to complete.
2. Members may submit the Excel form via website upload. This process is designed for submitting large lists of items.
  - Fill out the Eligible Product List Excel form (please make sure to use the latest version). Link to form: http://portal.sig-is.org/imwp/download.asp?ContentID=12508.
  - Log into the Members Area of the SIGIS website at www.sig-is.org.
  - Click on the “Eligible Product List (EPL)”link in the Announcements section, a new window will open.
  - Click on the "Data > Submit - Upload" menu tab.
  - Click on the "Excel Upload" tab.
  - Browse for Excel file to be loaded.
  - Click on "Upload" button.
  - Review the information for errors, correct as required in spreadsheet.
  - Repeat upload process.
  - Click on the "Submit List" button to complete.
If you have any questions please send an email to the SIGIS Help Desk at help@sig-is.org.
Why are prenatal vitamins still on the SIGIS List?

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Why are prenatal vitamins still on the SIGIS List?

Prenatal vitamins are classified as nutritional supplements and not regulated as a drug or medicine by the Food and Drug Administration. Thus, until further clarification regarding the treatment of this item as a drug or medicine is obtained, this nutritional supplement will remain on the SIGIS List as an eligible expense.
Why are contact lens solutions and contact lens cleaners still on the SIGIS List?

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Why are contact lens solutions and contact lens cleaners still on the SIGIS List?

These items are supplies for corrective lenses, and thus are not drugs or medicines, but rather needed to maintain contact lenses.
Why have homeopathic treatments been removed from the SIGIS List?

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Why have homeopathic treatments been removed from the SIGIS List?

These items are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as drugs, and thus require a prescription to be treated as an eligible expense.
Why have lice treatments been removed from the SIGIS List? Aren't they pesticides?

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Why have lice treatments been removed from the SIGIS List? Aren't they pesticides?

These items are classified as drugs by the Food and Drug Administration, and thus require a prescription to be treated as an eligible expense.
Why is glucosamine chondroitin still on the SIGIS List?

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Why is glucosamine chondroitin still on the SIGIS List?

Glucosamine chondroitin is classified as a nutritional supplement and not regulated as a drug or medicine by the Food and Drug Administration. Thus, until further clarification regarding the treatment of this item as a drug or medicine is obtained, this nutritional supplement will remain on the SIGIS List as an eligible expense.