Are Vitamins FSA Eligible? - Grants for Medical

Are Vitamins FSA Eligible – Overview

Vitamins are classified as over-the-counter (OTC) products often bought by people to maintain good health. Based on recent IRS updates, the cost of nutritional supplements can be reimbursed if a medical practitioner recommends them as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician. (1)

Consequently, buying vitamins with your FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account) can be quite tricky. However, certain criteria must be met so you can buy your vitamins using HSA or FSA funds.

Let’s take a detailed look and discover what kinds of vitamins and FSA are eligible in the United States.

What are HSA and FSA Accounts?

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA) allow individuals to save money on taxes rather than pay for eligible medical expenses.

Both types of accounts require you to contribute pre-tax dollars. When making a purchase, you can use your FSA or HSA card. In many cases, you can even submit a receipt of reimbursement later. However, it is crucial to check with your account custodian to find out the best way to make purchases and get reimbursed for expenses.

Though FSAs and HSAs come with tax benefits together, they work differently. For instance, an FSA is an employer-sponsored account, meaning that your employer sets up the account and determines the maximum contribution, per IRS guidelines.

Unless your employer offers one of the 2 options below, you must use the money in an FSA within a year:(2)

“Grace period” of up to 2 ½ extra months to use the money.
Allows you to carry over up to $640 per year to use the following year (this amount can vary based on the IRS adjustments).

On the other hand, HSAs provide increased flexibility as you own the account completely. You can open an HSA account if you have a high-deductible healthcare plan (HDHP), whether employed or self-employed. The funds in an HSA account can be rolled over to the next year if not used in the current plan year.

Are Vitamins FSA Eligible – What Makes Vitamins Eligible for FSA?

What Makes Vitamins Eligible for FSA

The IRS Publication 502 decided the eligibility of vitamins for FSA expenses. These guidelines define a qualified medical expense as one that diagnoses, cures, treats or prevents disease.

People use vitamins mainly to provide their bodies with additional nutrients, which may not be possible with regular food. B vitamins bought for general health purposes are not eligible for FSA spending, as per IRS criteria for qualified medical expenses.

Vitamins can serve dual purposes: they can fill nutritional gaps or be used to treat specific medical conditions. If prescribed by a healthcare provider to treat a specific disorder or disease, vitamins are considered eligible for FSA reimbursement.

Are Vitamins Eligible for FSA?

Experts recommend individuals be careful when buying vitamins using their FSA or HSA as they are not always considered qualified medical expenses, according to IRS guidelines. If your vitamin supplement is not prescribed by a doctor or used to treat a medical condition, you may not likely be eligible for FSA.

Here is a list of some of the most common vitamins and supplements that are usually NOT eligible for FSA (or HSA):

While many vitamins and supplements may not be FSA or HSA eligible for general health maintenance, specific products can qualify if prescribed for a diagnosed condition. Check with your healthcare provider for eligibility.

Centrum Silver Men’s and Women’s (100 Count) Multivitamins
Alive! Women’s 50+ Multivitamin
Finest Nutrition D3 Vitamin IU Dietary Supplement Softgels
Emergen-C Kidz Daily Immune Support Dietary Supplement
Li’l Critters Kids’ Gummy Vitamins
Flintstones Sour Gummy Multivitamins for Kids
Nature Made Vitamin D3 IU Tablets Mega Size
Nature’s Bounty Vitamin B-12 1000mcg Tablets
Nature Made Sublingual Vitamin B12 1000 mcg Micro-Lozenges
Puritan’s Pride Children’s Multi Gummy Vitamin
One A Day Men’s and Women’s Multivitamins
Vitafusion B-12 Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are generally considered an exception and are eligible for FSA and HSA reimbursement because they are crucial for fetal development and may prevent birth complications.

Some of the most common prenatal vitamins that you can buy over-the-counter in the US, which are eligible for FSA expenses, include:

Nature Made Prenatal Multivitamin
Nature’s Bounty Prenatal Multivitamin
One Day Prenatal Multivitamin
OLLY The Essential Prenatal Multivitamin Gummy
SmartyPants Capsules, Prenatal Formula
Spring Valley Prenatal Multivitamin for pregnant or nursing women
Spectrum Essentials Prenatal DHA Softgels for pregnant or nursing women
Vitafusion Prenatal Gummies

To use FSA or HSA funds for vitamins not directly listed as eligible, a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from a physician specifying the medical reasons is typically required. If you buy your vitamins from Walgreens, FSA Store or HSA Store, you will find a label stating that the vitamin is eligible for FSA or HSA expenses. On the other hand, you should contact your account custodian to confirm if your vitamin qualifies for reimbursement with an FSA or HSA.

Which Vitamins are FSA/HSA Eligible for?

There are only a handful of vitamins and supplements that are eligible for an FSA, which include;

Prenatal vitamins – That aid in fetal development and ensure a healthy pregnancy
Glucosamine – These are used to treat thinning cartilage between joints to treat osteoarthritis.
Chondroitin – These are also used to treat osteoarthritis

Conclusion

FSA funds can be used for copayments, insurance deductibles, prescription medications, medical equipment, and certain over-the-counter medicines when eligible. You can also use your FSA funds to pay for common OTC medicines, like Tums and Tylenol.

You can pay for these items directly from your FSA card, which acts as a debit card for making FSA-eligible purchases. If you do not have a card, you can simply submit the purchase receipts to your FSA account administrator and receive the reimbursement from your account.