The following expenses are eligible to be paid for out of your Health Savings Account (if you have a qualified high deductible health plan):
- Abortion
- Acupuncture
- Alcoholism Treatment
- Ambulance
- Annual Physical Exams
- Artificial Limbs
- Artificial Teeth
- Bandages
- Birth Control Pills
- Chiropractor
- Contact Lenses
- Dental Treatment
- Diagnostic Services
- Drug Addiction
- Drugs
- Eyeglasses
- Eye Surgery
- Fertility Treatments
- Guide Dog / Service Animal
- Hearing Aids
- Home Care
- Hospital Services
- Medical Equipment (Bandages, Crutches etc…)
- Medicare Part A (Hospital) – Limited
- Medicare Part B (Supplemental Medical) – Limited
- Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug)
- Laboratory Fees
- Lead-Based Paint Removal
- Learning Disability Expenses
- Legal Fees (necessary to authorize treatment for mental illness only)
- Lodging/Meals (if the primary reason is to receive medical care)
- Long Term Care Insurance Premiums
- Medical Conferences (dealing with a chronic illness you or a family member have)
- Medicines
- Non-prescription medicines (other than insulin)
- Nursing Home
- Nursing Services
- Oxygen
- Physical Exams
- Pregnancy Test Kits
- Prosthesis
- Psychiatric Care
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychologist
- Special Education Tuition (doctor recommended)
- Sterilization
- Stop-Smoking Programs
- Surgery
- Telephone (TTY/TDD – for the hearing impaired)
- Television Equipment (for the health impaired)
- Therapy
- Transplants
- Transportation (primarily for medical care)
- Vision Correction Surgery
- Weight Loss Program
- Wheelchair
- Wig
- X-Ray
Here are some items that you cannot pay for with monies in your Health Savings Account:
- Babysitting/Child Care
- Controlled Substances (marijuana, laetrile, etc..)
- Cosmetic Surgery (exceptions include breast reconstruction after breast cancer)
- Dancing Lessons
- Diaper Service
- Electrolysis for Hair Removal
- Flexible Spending Account
- Funeral Expenses
- Future Medical Care
- Hair Transplant
- Health Club Dues
- Health Coverage Tax Credit
- Household Help
- Illegal Operations and Treatments
- Insurance Premiums (with exceptions)
- Maternity Clothes
- Medicare Supplement Premiums
- Medicines and Drugs from Other Countries
- Swimming Lessons
- Teeth Whitening
- Veterinary Fees
- Weight Loss Program (general purpose)
For a complete list (published by the IRS) with further explanation for each item, please see The IRS Guide to Eligible Medical Expenses. Please know that the only exception to this list is that non-prescription medications are eligible to be paid for through your Health Savings Account.
For Wikipedia’s extended definition of Health Savings Accounts, please click here.
[...] This money can be used to pay for surgeries, doctors visits, accidents, prescriptions and much more. Best of all, the money is tax free, the account is in the insureds control, and it’s not a [...]