Can I Use My HSA/FSA for Past Purchases?

Short Answer:
No – HSA/FSA reimbursement is tied to the date on your Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), which reflects your condition at the time of evaluation. Without completing the clinical intake survey on or before your purchase date, you cannot retroactively apply an LMN to past purchases.

Your LMN is generated after you complete a clinical intake survey, which assesses your current medical condition. The LMN is dated based on when the survey is taken and reflects your condition at that specific point in time. This date is critical because:

• Timeliness Matters:
  The LMN must be dated on or before the day of your purchase to be valid for HSA/FSA reimbursement. For example, if you receive an LMN on March 1, it can only be used for expenses incurred on or after March 1.

• Accuracy of Your Medical Condition:
  The LMN documents your current health status and is based on an active patient-provider relationship. Backdating the LMN to cover past expenses (e.g., purchases made in January or February) would not accurately reflect your condition at that time.

If you made a purchase using a standard checkout instead of the TrueMed HSA/FSA checkout, the necessary clinical intake survey was not completed. This means:

• No Valid LMN for That Purchase Date:
  Without the survey, no LMN is issued, and there is no documentation to verify that your condition at the time of purchase warranted the expense.

• Retroactive Reimbursement Isn't Permitted:
  Even if you later obtain an LMN, you cannot change the LMN date to an earlier time because it must accurately represent your condition when the survey was completed. For instance, if you receive an LMN on March 1 but made purchases in January or February, you cannot retroactively apply that LMN because it does not reflect your condition during those months.

• For Future Purchases:
  Always select the TrueMed HSA/FSA checkout option. This process guides you through completing the clinical intake survey on or before your purchase date, ensuring that your LMN is correctly dated to cover your expense.

• For Past Purchases:
  If you made a purchase without using the TrueMed checkout, consider contacting the merchant to see if a refund is possible. You can then repurchase the item using the proper HSA/FSA process to secure an LMN dated appropriately for your reimbursement claim.

The reimbursement possibility for an expense is strictly tied to the date on your LMN. Since the LMN is reflective of your current condition at the time of the survey, it cannot be applied retroactively to past purchases. This requirement is not just a limitation of TrueMed—it is essential for compliance with IRS guidelines and to ensure the accuracy of your HSA/FSA claims.

If you have any further questions or need assistance with your HSA/FSA process, please contact Truemed support at support@truemed.com We're here to help you navigate these requirements and ensure your eligible expenses are properly documented.