Can HSA pay for insurance premiums?

Asked by: Mr. Bill Von  |  Last update: June 22, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (56 votes)

The IRS does not allow you to use your HSA to pay for regular health insurance premiums, but there is an exception for unemployed individuals. If you lose your job, you may qualify to withdraw funds from your HSA to cover your health insurance premiums.

What insurance premiums can be paid from HSA?

You can use your HSA to pay for premiums on long term care insurance, COBRA (health insurance you might use if you become unemployed), and even Medicare if you are age 65 or older.

Can HSA pay for gym membership?

Gym memberships. While some companies and private insurers may offer discounts on gym memberships, you generally can't use your FSA or HSA account to pay for gym or health club memberships. An exception to that rule would be if your doctor deems fitness medically necessary for your recovery or treatment.

Can I use HSA to pay for cobra premiums?

Can you use HSA for COBRA premiums? The short answer is yes. You can use funds from your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for COBRA premiums. This option is particularly beneficial for individuals who want to maintain their health insurance coverage but face the financial burden of COBRA premiums.

Can HSA funds be used to pay insurance deductible?

You can use an HSA to cover a wide range of routine medical costs, including: Qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses you incur before you've met your HDHP deductible. Medical, dental or vision coinsurance and copayments. Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.

3 Ways Your HSA Can Pay Insurance Premiums

22 related questions found

Can I use my HSA to pay health insurance premiums if I retire early?

If you pay for your medical expenses out of pocket now, you'll have more saved in your HSA account to help pay for medical expenses once you retire. If you retire before age 65 and you aren't yet eligible for Medicare, you can use money in your HSA to pay your medical coverage premiums.

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 reimburse myself from HSA for health insurance premiums?

The IRS does not allow you to use your HSA to pay for regular health insurance premiums, but there is an exception for unemployed individuals. If you lose your job, you may qualify to withdraw funds from your HSA to cover your health insurance premiums.

Are health insurance premiums tax deductible?

You can include health insurance premiums in your medical expense calculations. However, certain premiums are not eligible for medical expense deductions. You cannot include the following premiums in your tax deductions: Life insurance policies.

Can I use my HSA to pay for Medicare premiums?

The good news: You can keep using your HSA funds

You can even use your HSA to pay for some Medicare expenses including your Medicare Part B, Part D and Medicare Advantage plan premiums, deductibles, copays and coinsurance.

Is the Apple Watch HSA eligible?

Why other fitness trackers don't qualify. 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 I use my 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.

What is the 12 month rule for HSA?

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.

Can I use HSA for glasses?

Yes! You can definitely use funds from your flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to purchase prescription glasses. (FSAs and HSAs can be used for many other vision- and eye health-related expenses, too, but we'll discuss that more in a bit.)

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield allow HSA?

A CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Health Savings Account (HSA) plan has two main components: A medical plan that meets certain IRS criteria* A medical savings account called an HSA.

Can self-employed deduct health insurance premiums?

If you're a self-employed person, you may deduct up to 100% of the health insurance premiums you paid during the year.

Is it worth claiming medical expenses on taxes?

The medical expense deduction covers a wide variety of expenses. However, because of the high Standard Deduction and the 7.5% of AGI threshold requirement, it can be difficult to benefit unless you have a lot of out-of-pocket costs.

Are HSA contributions tax deductible?

You can claim a tax deduction for contributions you, or someone other than your employer, make to your HSA even if you don't itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). Contributions to your HSA made by your employer (including contributions made through a cafeteria plan) may be excluded from your gross income.

Are insurance premiums HSA deductible?

For the complete list of IRS-allowable expenses, you can request a copy of IRS Publication 502 by calling 1-800-829-3676, or visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov and select "Forms and Publications." Please note, however, while health insurance premiums are listed as an allowable expense they are not reimbursable from ...

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.

How much should I have in my HSA at retirement?

The amount of money you should have in your HSA during retirement depends on your healthcare needs and circumstances. According to the Fidelity Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, a single person who is age 65 in 2023 should aim to have about $157,000 saved (after tax) for healthcare expenses during retirement.

When should you not use an HSA?

HSAs might not make sense if you have some type of chronic medical condition. In that case, you're probably better served by traditional health plans. HSAs might also not be a good idea if you know you will be needing expensive medical care in the near future.

Can I use HSA for dental?

Your HSA also covers expenses for standard dental cleanings and dental check-ups. One thing to keep in mind is that some of these procedures may have a co-payment, so it's important that you check with your dental insurance provider to find out exactly what you'll have to pay out of pocket.

What happens to your HSA when you turn 65?

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.