Can I Use Truemed for a Purchase I Already Made?

You may be able to use your HSA or FSA funds to reimburse a purchase you already made, depending on when you bought it and whether it qualified as a medical expense at the time. Truemed can’t issue an LMN retroactively for a purchase made outside Truemed checkout, but you may still have options for reimbursement.

Can I get reimbursed for a purchase I already made?

Yes, in some cases. Whether you can get reimbursed depends on the type of expense, when you made the purchase, and when your documentation was issued.

There are two scenarios to consider:

Purchases that are already HSA/FSA eligible: You may be able to request reimbursement for an eligible medical expense without an LMN, as long as you meet your account’s requirements and deadlines.
Purchases that require a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN): The purchase must meet the applicable medical necessity requirements, and the required documentation must be in place at the time of purchase. You can’t make a previously ineligible purchase qualify by obtaining an LMN afterward.

If you paid for an item with a personal debit or credit card, you may still be able to request reimbursement if the expense qualified when you made it.

Can Truemed issue an LMN for a past purchase?

No, Truemed can’t issue an LMN for a purchase made outside Truemed checkout.

To receive an LMN through Truemed, you must complete the clinical intake survey before or on the day of your purchase. A licensed provider reviews your health information and, if appropriate, issues an LMN for the purchase. This process establishes the clinical basis for the LMN at the time of the transaction. Letters can’t be backdated to cover purchases made before the qualification process.

If you bought an item through a merchant’s standard checkout without completing Truemed’s qualification process, Truemed can’t issue an LMN for that transaction after the fact.

Keep in mind that Truemed and your HSA/FSA administrator have different roles:

Truemed facilitates the qualification process, during which an independent, licensed clinician reviews your health information and issues an LMN when appropriate.
Your HSA/FSA administrator determines whether to approve your reimbursement claim, what documentation it accepts, and which filing deadlines apply.

Even if you have an LMN, your administrator makes the final decision on reimbursement.

How far back can you be reimbursed? HSA vs. FSA rules

The timeframe for requesting reimbursement depends on whether you’re using an HSA or an FSA. These rules apply to expenses that qualified when you made the purchase, including eligible purchases paid for with a personal card.

HSA reimbursement rules

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) generally allow you to reimburse yourself for qualified medical expenses long after the original purchase.

Reimbursement deadline: There’s generally no deadline to reimburse yourself for a qualified medical expense.
Account opening date: The expense must have been incurred after your HSA was established. Purchases made before you opened your HSA don’t qualify for reimbursement from that account.
Recordkeeping: Keep your receipts and supporting documentation to show that the expense was eligible and incurred after your HSA was established.

FSA reimbursement rules

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) generally have stricter deadlines because they’re tied to a plan year or coverage period.

Eligible expenses: The purchase must fall within your plan’s applicable coverage period.
Claim deadline: You must submit your reimbursement claim by your plan’s deadline, which may include a run-out period after the plan year ends.
Grace periods and carryovers: Some plans allow extra time to incur eligible expenses or carry over a limited balance into the next plan year. These options depend on your employer’s plan.

Check your plan documents or contact your administrator to confirm your FSA’s deadlines.


Rule	HSA	FSA
When the expense must occur	After the HSA is established	Within the applicable coverage period
Reimbursement deadline	Generally no deadline	Usually December 31, but your plan may allow additional time to submit claims
Extra time	No general reimbursement filing deadline	Some plans offer a grace period or carryover for incurring expenses, or an extended deadline for submitting claims
Who sets the rules	Federal tax rules and applicable account requirements	Federal tax rules and your employer’s plan
Can a later LMN make an earlier purchase eligible?	No	No
Can Truemed issue an LMN retroactively for a purchase made outside its qualification process?	No	No

These timelines only apply to expenses that qualified when they were incurred. Having an LMN issued later doesn’t make an earlier purchase eligible.

What documentation do you need for a retroactive reimbursement?

Your HSA/FSA administrator may ask for documentation to verify the expense. Depending on the purchase and your plan’s requirements, this may include:

Itemized receipt: Shows the purchase date, merchant, item or service, and amount paid.
Proof of payment: Documents that you paid for the purchase, such as a transaction record or payment confirmation.
Letter of Medical Necessity: Required for purchases that need one. The LMN must have been issued on or before the purchase date to support that expense.

Keep your receipts and supporting records for HSA purchases, even if you don’t plan to reimburse yourself right away. You may need them to substantiate your expenses in the event of an IRS audit.

Your administrator may have additional documentation requirements, so check its guidelines before submitting a claim.

What to do if you bought without Truemed

If you already purchased an item and think it may qualify for HSA/FSA reimbursement, your next steps depend on whether the item requires an LMN.

For a purchase that doesn’t require an LMN: Check with your HSA/FSA administrator to confirm eligibility and documentation requirements. If the expense qualifies, you can submit a reimbursement claim according to your account’s rules and deadlines.
For a purchase that requires an LMN: Truemed can’t issue a letter retroactively for that transaction. If you want to use Truemed for the purchase, contact the merchant to ask whether a return or refund is possible. If the merchant allows it, you can repurchase the item through Truemed checkout and complete the clinical intake survey as part of the qualification process. Approval isn’t guaranteed.
For future purchases: Select Truemed at checkout when it’s available and complete the clinical intake survey before finalizing payment. If a licensed provider determines the purchase qualifies, you’ll receive an LMN for that transaction.

For more details on submitting a claim, see How to Get HSA/FSA Reimbursement.