Are Vitamins Covered by an FSA or HSA?

Vitamins are a common over-the-counter (OTC) product purchased by people to maintain good health. And while many vitamins and supplements do have health benefits, vitamins do not automatically qualify as an eligible medical expense under IRS rules. This makes purchasing them with a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) tricky. But, you can buy your vitamins with FSA and HSA funds if certain criteria is met.

Below, we will cover what vitamins are typically FSA or HSA eligible and what you should consider before making a purchase.

How do FSA and HSA accounts work?

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) allow individuals to save money on their taxes while paying for qualified medical expenses.

You contribute pretax dollars to both types of accounts. When you are ready to make a purchase, you can use your FSA or HSA card. You may also be able to submit a receipt for reimbursement. It’s important to check with your account custodian to determine the best way to make purchases and get reimbursed for expenses.

Although FSAs and HSAs both come with tax benefits, they operate in a different way. An FSA is an employer-sponsored account. That means your employer sets up the account and establishes the maximum contribution according to IRS guidelines. The money in your FSA has to be spent by a certain time, or you lose it. If you leave your employer, you also forfeit your account.

An HSA provides more flexibility because you own the account. You can open an HSA if you have a high-deductible healthcare plan (HDHP) whether you are employed or self-employed. Individuals do not have a specific time period to spend the money in the account. The funds roll over from year to year.

What determines vitamin eligibility?

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 502 determines vitamin eligibility. This publication defines a qualified medical expense as one that diagnoses, cures, treats, or prevents disease. Individuals use vitamins to provide their body with nutrients they may not receive on a daily basis. If vitamins are used for general health, they do not meet the IRS criteria for qualified medical expenses.

Vitamins can serve a dual purpose: fill nutritional gaps and treat medical conditions. If you use vitamins to treat a specific medical condition, they become an eligible qualified medical expense.

Are vitamins FSA/HSA eligible?

You want to be careful when trying to buy vitamins with your FSA or HSA. They are not always deemed a qualified expense. If your vitamins are not prescribed by a healthcare professional or used to treat a specific condition, your purchase most likely won’t be FSA or HSA eligible.

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• Health savings account (HSA) vs. flexible spending account (FSA): Both of these are tax-advantaged accounts, but there are some key differences between them.

• Need to spend FSA dollars before your deadline? Here are ways to use your FSA funds for yourself, your spouse, or a qualified dependent.

• HSAs offer tax savings to help manage future healthcare expenses. But they also have other benefits.

Here are some vitamins that are typically not considered an eligible FSA or HSA expense: 

• Alive! Women’s 50+ Multivitamin

• Centrum Silver Men’s and Women’s (100 Count) Multivitamins

• Emergen-C Kidz Daily Immune Support Dietary Supplement

• Finest Nutrition D3 Vitamin IU Dietary Supplement Softgels

• Flintstones Sour Gummy Multivitamin for Kids

• L’il Critters Kids’ Gummy Vitamins

• Nature Made Vitamin D3 IU Tablets Mega Size

• Nature Made Sublingual Vitamin B12 1000 mcg Micro-Lozenges

• Nature’s Bounty Vitamin B-12 1000mcg Tablets

• One A Day Men’s and Women’s multivitamins

• Puritan’s Pride Children’s Multi Gummy vitamin

• Vitafusion B-12 vitamins

Keep in mind that protein powders, bars, and shakes are also not eligible expenses. You can reach out to your account administrator if you’re unsure if a specific product is eligible.  

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Some vitamins, like prenatal vitamins, are exceptions to the rule. These vitamins help fetal development and help avoid birth complications. Some common over-the-counter prenatals that you can buy without a prescription are:

• Nature’s Bounty Prenatal Multivitamin

• Nature Made Prenatal Multivitamin

• OLLY The Essential Prenatal Multivitamin gummy

• One A Day Prenatal multivitamin

• SmartyPants Capsules, Prenatal Formula

• Spectrum Essentials Prenatal DHA Softgels for pregnant or nursing mothers

• Spring Valley Prenatal Multivitamin for pregnant or nursing women

• Vitafusion Prenatal Gummies

Your healthcare professional may also write you a prescription to get these vitamins from your pharmacy. FSA- and HSA-eligible items available through the FSA store, HSA store, or Walgreens will contain a label stating so. However, you want to contact your account administrator to confirm that your vitamin purchase qualifies for reimbursement with an FSA or HSA.

When do you need a letter of medical necessity for an FSA?

If your HSA or FSA administrator does not automatically approve the vitamins your healthcare professional has recommended, you may need a letter of medical necessity (LOMN).

A LOMN should come from your healthcare provider. This letter may allow you to buy vitamins with your FSA/HSA funds. A LOMN will include:

• Your name

• The specific diagnosis and treatment needed

• How long you need the treatment

• Signature of the licensed practitioner

• Provider’s letterhead, prescription pad, summary of visit, or discharge papers

It is best to check with your account administrator to make sure that your purchase is an HSA- or FSA-approved expense.

What vitamins are eligible for an FSA or HSA?

Only a few vitamins and supplements are eligible for an FSA. The three that are eligible are:

• Prenatal vitamins: Aid in fetal development and a healthy pregnancy

• Glucosamine: Used to treat the thinning of cartilage between joints caused by osteoarthritis

• Chondroitin: Used to treat osteoarthritis

You can purchase the following vitamins and supplements with your FSA if your account administrator allows it:

• Metamucil Psyllium Fiber Supplement

• Joint Lube Fast Acting Glucosamine

• Hydralyte Effervescent Electrolyte Tablets

• Phillips’ Fiber Good Gummies

How do you spend money in an FSA?

You can spend FSA funds on insurance deductibles, copayments, medical equipment, and prescription medications. You can also use your FSA to pay for popular OTC medicines like Tylenol and Tums. 

You can pay for these items if you have an FSA card. If you do not have a card, you can submit receipts to your FSA account administrator to receive reimbursement from the account.

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Written by:

Timalyn Bowens, EA

Timalyn S. Bowens, EA, is an IRS-licensed enrolled agent who has been working in the tax industry for 11 years. She started Bowens Tax & Bookkeeping Solutions in 2016, helping small businesses keep their records straight and compliant with the IRS.

Edited by:

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA, is a personal finance editor at GoodRx. She has been a certified public accountant for over a decade.

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