Can HSA card be paid for groceries?
Asked by: Miss Elisha Carter | Last update: December 2, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (63 votes)
Can I use my HSA card for groceries?
The short answer is no. According to current IRS regulations, groceries are not considered a qualified medical expense and therefore cannot be paid for using HSA funds. HSAs are tax-advantaged savings accounts that are designed to help individuals and families save money for medical expenses.
Can I use my HSA card to pay for anything?
HSAs may earn interest that can't be taxed. You generally can't use HSA funds to pay premiums. Once you turn 65, you can use the money in your HSA for anything you want. If you don't use it for qualified medical expenses, it counts as income when you file your taxes.
What can I not use my HSA card for?
Other items that aren't eligible include maternity clothes, funeral costs, child care for healthy babies, toiletries, over-the-counter medicine, swimming lessons and elective cosmetic procedures. You also usually can't use HSA money to pay for health insurance premiums unless you meet certain criteria.
Can an HSA debit card be used for anything?
What can I buy with my HSA using my debit card? You can swipe your HSA debit card to use tax-free money to pay for eligible healthcare products and services not paid by your insurance plan(s), including routine healthcare, hospital expenses, medications, dental care, orthodontia and vision care.
What Can the HSA Debit Card Buy? (What Can You Purchase with HSA Funds?)
What if I accidentally used my HSA card for groceries?
If you catch the transaction early enough, you might even be able to contact the retailer and ask them to reverse the charge and fill it on a new card. If you bought something in person, you can also return it to the store and then buy it again with a different card.
Can I use my HSA card to buy other things?
You can use your HSA to pay for healthcare costs such as emergency, dental, and vision expenses. The CARES Act has expanded the list of HSA-eligible items to include over-the-counter purchases, making the costs of everyday healthcare tax-deductible. Confirm with your HSA administrator which expenses are eligible.
Can my HSA pay for my gym membership?
Generally, the IRS doesn't allow pretax dollars in HSAs or FSAs for gym memberships. This is because they see them as expenses for general well-being rather than medical necessity. However, with a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), your HSA or FSA could be used to fund those expenses.
Can I run my HSA card as credit?
In order for your card to work, you must have the balance available in your HSA; no overdraft is available. Please note: The card will not work at ATMs and will only work at appropriate medical facilities. The card should always be run as 'credit' and no PIN is required.
What is the 12 month rule for HSA?
About the IRS' last-month rule testing period and penalty
It means you must remain eligible for the HSA until December 31 of the following year. The only exceptions are death or disability. If you violate the testing period requirement, your ineligible contributions become taxable income.
How does IRS know what you spend HSA on?
Verification of expenses is not required for HSAs. However, total withdrawals from your HSA are reported to the IRS on Form 1099-SA. You are responsible for reporting qualified and non-qualified withdrawals when completing your taxes.
What is the downside of an HSA?
Drawbacks of HSAs include tax penalties for nonmedical expenses before age 65, and contributions made to the HSA within six months of applying for Social Security benefits may be subject to penalties. HSAs have fewer limitations and more tax advantages than flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Can I buy deodorant with HSA?
Deodorant reimbursement is not eligible with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), limited-purpose flexible spending account (LPFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA).
What can I spend my HSA money on?
You can use your HSA to fund big bills, like braces. It can also help cover routine dental needs, like cleanings and fluoride treatments. Your health insurance might not cover a new pair of eyeglasses or your contact lens solution, but those expenses are qualified. Even better: so is laser eye surgery.
Can I use my HSA card for hygiene products?
Important update: Due to the passage of the CARES Act, starting January 1, 2020 the following items are eligible: Menstrual care/feminine hygiene products are now reimbursable. Over-the-counter drugs no longer require a prescription to be reimbursed.
How to use HSA card at Walmart?
To use your HSA/FSA card, enter it as a credit card when buying eligible items. If you save the card to your account, it will save as a benefit card.
Can you buy food with an HSA card?
No, you can't use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) for straight food purchases like meat, produce and dairy. But you can use them for some nutrition-related products and services. To review, tax-advantaged accounts have regulatory restrictions on eligible products and services.
What if I never use the money in my HSA?
Myth #2: If I don't spend all my funds this year, I lose it. Reality: HSA funds never expire. When it comes to the HSA, there's no use-it-or-lose-it rule. Unlike Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds, you keep your HSA dollars forever, even if you change employers, health plans, or retire.
Can I cash out my HSA?
Yes, you can withdraw funds from your HSA at any time. But please keep in mind that if you use your HSA funds for any reason other than to pay for a qualified medical expense, those funds will be taxed as ordinary income, and the IRS will impose a 20% penalty.
Is an Apple Watch HSA eligible?
Even though Fitbits and Apple Watches measure important health data, they currently do not qualify for HSA reimbursement, as they are considered for general health use and not intended to treat or manage a specific medical condition.
Can HSA pay for massage?
Your HSA can pay for massage therapy, though you'll likely need a letter of medical necessity (LMN) from your doctor. An LMN states what condition the treatment is for, how many sessions you need, and any other relevant details. An HSA may also be used on alternative or holistic treatments, such as: Massage therapy.
Can I use HSA for vitamins?
In general, vitamins are not considered an HSA eligible expense unless they are prescribed by a doctor for a specific medical condition. For example, if your doctor prescribes prenatal vitamins during pregnancy or recommends vitamin D supplements to treat a deficiency, those could be eligible expenses under your HSA.
What happens if I use my HSA card for non-medical expenses?
When health savings accounts aren't used for their intended purposes, account holders are often assessed penalties. When an account holder under the age of 65 uses their health savings account's funds for non-medical expenses, they have to pay income tax on the money spent plus a 20-percent penalty.
Are car seats HSA eligible?
Car Seats: HSA Eligibility
Car seats are not eligible for reimbursement with a flexible spending account (FSA), limited-purpose flexible spending account (LPFSA), dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA), health savings account (HSA) or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA).
Can I transfer money from my HSA to my bank account?
Online Transfers – On HSA Bank's member website, you can reimburse yourself for out-of-pocket expenses by making a one-time or reoccurring online transfer from your HSA to your personal checking or savings account.