U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. recently touted his agenda to get all Americans using a wearable within the next four years. This vision is sorely misguided, at best. Still, although wearables are no replacement for actual healthcare, understanding how to leverage your FSA/HSA funds for fitness trackers has never been more relevant. The reality is that yes, you can use these pre-tax health dollars for fitness trackers and smartwatches—but it's not as straightforward as the marketing suggests.
There is a catch, though. You need a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN). The IRS has ruled that fitness trackers and other devices of their type are used to promote one's "general health" and are only medically necessary under special circumstances. Your LMN is basically a doctor's note required to classify certain purchases as qualified medical expenses under IRS guidelines, proving that the device will be used to treat a legitimate medical condition, such as obesity or a heart condition. As long as you submit an LMN to your benefits administrator, it will most likely be covered.
When it comes to securing your LMN, you might not even need to make a doctor's appointment, thanks to third-party players like Truemed. When you browse sites like Coros or Amazfit, you'll see the option to “Pay With Truemed” at checkout. From there, as Truemed explains it, you'll be asked you a few questions about your health circumstances, and you’ll be matched with a provider to determine your eligibility. If you qualify, you’ll get an LMN that will allow you to use your HSA or FSA funds to complete your purchase—all without ever having to meet with your primary doctor.
The fitness trackers you can buy with HSA/FSA funds
Sadly, no Garmin watches are HSA/FSA-eligible. Still, the following products are eligible for an HSA/FSA purchase:
Index S2 smart scale
HRM-Pro Plus heart rate monitor
HRM-Swim
Coros
Coros offers FSA/HSA eligibility for all their watches and heart rate monitors through their partnership with Truemed.
Coros Pace 3 $229.00 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $229.00 at AmazonAmazfit
Amazfit is another brand partnered with Truemed, meaning that like with Coros above, it might be easier for you to get that LMN proving your need for a smartwatch, sleep tracker, stress monitor, or other screen-less fitness band. For instance, here are some of Amazfit's FSA/HSA eligible items:
Helio Ring screen-free fitness tracker
Active 2 (Square) smartwatch
Amazfit Active 2 Smartwatch $99.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $99.99 at AmazonWhile Whoop does not accept direct FSA/HSA payments at checkout, you can submit reimbursement claims for their 12-month subscription, Whoop 4.0 battery pack, and Whoop 5.0 wireless power pack and basic charger. Whoop's focus on strain and recovery data may help support medical necessity claims. There are several ways to file a claim/submit a reimbursement—see them all here.
Ultrahuman
Ultrahuman is partnered with payment processors Sika and Flex. However, according to Ultrahuman's site, their smart rings offer continuous health data that is always FSA/HSA eligible, meaning there’s no need for an LMN to purchase.
Withings
ScanWatch 2
Body Scan smart scale
BPM connect blood pressure monitor
Withings ScanWatch 2 $369.95 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $369.95 at AmazonThe bottom line
FSA/HSA eligibility for wearables is real but restrictive. Some employers' FSA administrators may scrutinize wearable purchases more closely. Companies like Coros are most transparent about facilitating the required medical consultation, while others market eligibility without clearly explaining the LMN barrier. For consumers, this means budgeting not just for the device, but for the healthcare consultation and documentation process required to justify the purchase. Still, the promise of using pre-tax health dollars for wearables is real.
And remember, the most important aspect of shopping with HSA funds is record-keeping. Make sure to keep every receipt—and LMN—for every HSA purchase you make.
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