Can You Buy a Mattress With HSA? Eligibility + How To Buy

Key Takeaways

• You can purchase a mattress with a Health Savings Account (HSA), provided that you meet certain requirements for qualification.
• To qualify, you need to have a diagnosed medical condition that can be treated by a mattress with special features, backed by a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN).
• Purple offers multiple HSA and Flexible Savings Account (FSA)-eligible mattresses and a streamlined payment process.

Sleeping shouldn't be difficult or painful. If you're experiencing soreness, body aches, or other symptoms while sleeping, your mattress may be preventing you from getting the deep sleep you need. A diagnosis of a specific medical condition causing pain may qualify you to buy a mattress with an HSA.

Buying a mattress with your HSA account allows you to access the mattress you need to treat your diagnosed condition at a reduced price. HSA/FSA-eligible mattresses offer special features that can help treat, mitigate, or prevent your condition from taking a toll on your sleep, health, and life.

Read along to learn about your eligibility to purchase a new mattress using your HSA, the types of products and features covered by your HSA, and the steps involved in the purchasing process.

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When Can I Use My HSA to Buy a Mattress?

You might be able to use your HSA to buy a new mattress if you obtain a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) and present it to your HSA account administrator. Think of the LMN as your key to unlocking a more restorative sleep. It's a document signed and dated by a licensed healthcare professional that includes the following:

• The patient and the healthcare provider's information
• A specific diagnosis and relevant medical history
• The recommended type of mattress for treating the diagnosed condition
• How long you'll need the mattress
• A detailed explanation and justification of the recommendation explaining how the mattress will help relieve the diagnosed condition

A mattress is considered a dual-purpose item, which means that it may only qualify as a medical expense if it costs more than a regular mattress and its primary purpose is to treat a diagnosed condition.¹ 

Read on to understand the specific medical conditions and mattress qualities that can qualify you to buy a mattress with HSA.

Qualifying Medical Conditions

If you have a medical condition that has been diagnosed by a licensed medical professional, you may be eligible to purchase a mattress with HSA. Undiagnosed or self-diagnosed conditions typically don't qualify, so consulting with a specialist is important.

For example, you might qualify to use your HSA if you buy a high-quality mattress with features that would help you sleep with diagnosed sciatica. However, you likely wouldn't qualify if you're seeking a new mattress that would help with undiagnosed, general back pain. To drive it home once more, an actual diagnosis is key to the medical justification of the purchase.

Mattress Eligibility

Eligible mattresses must have specific features that help address your medical needs and cost more than a standard mattress. Examples of mattress features that might make one eligible for HSA use include:

• Pressure relief: A pressure relief mattress cradles and cushions pressure points like your hips and shoulders. These mattresses prevent soreness buildup and promote proper spinal alignment, making it easier to sleep and more comfortable to wake up.
• Zero gravity function: While you won't literally be floating, you might feel like it on a zero gravity bed. This type of bed elevates your head and feet, which evenly distributes body weight to minimize stress on the spine and improve blood circulation. You can achieve a zero-gravity position when pairing a mattress with an adjustable base. Zero-gravity beds can help those with conditions like acid reflux, chronic back pain, circulation issues, or sleep apnea.

How To Buy a Mattress With Your HSA

Revolutionizing your sleep is right around the corner. There are only a few simple steps you'll need to take to give yourself the best chance of qualifying for the mattress you need.

1. Verify Your Eligibility

Struggling to fall asleep is often one of the first and most obvious signs that a new mattress may qualify as a medical necessity. Perhaps you have pain in your back that makes it hard to get comfortable, or you experience symptoms of poor blood circulation like cramps or numbness. 

If this sounds like you, a medical specialist might be able to diagnose and offer solutions to the root cause of your sleeping issues. They may also produce a Letter of Medical Necessity to help you buy a specific mattress with your HSA. 

If you can't set aside time for an appointment, you can also obtain an LMN through an approved online certification program like Truemed. It partners with a network of medical practitioners who evaluate people's eligibility through surveys directly in the checkout process.

2. Compare Eligible Mattresses

Once you've verified your eligibility, you'll want to evaluate the options available to you to treat your condition. Your doctor can help you identify a specific feature or product that you'll need to treat your medical condition. Some examples of mattresses that meet HSA/FSA eligibility criteria include:

• The Purple Mattress®: This mattress has Edge Support Foam, Comfort Foam, and Base Support Foam, topped with the revolutionary GelFlex Grid® and SoftFlex® Cover. Conforming to your body's contours and minimizing motion transfer, this mattress provides pressure relief, instant adaptivity, durable support, and temperature regulation that support bodily health.
• RestorePlus®: This hybrid mattress has three inches of GelFlex Grid®, Ultra Comfort Foam, and a zoned coil system. It provides targeted bodily support, advanced pressure relief, and best-in-class temperature regulation for a restorative sleep experience.
• Rejuvenate™: With the perfect balance of comfort and support, the Rejuvenate™ Mattress is a luxurious mattress that provides advanced hip and shoulder relief with a 2” GelFlex Grid®, DreamLayer™ technology, and responsive coils for a cooler, more comfortable night’s sleep.

3. Purchase Your Mattress

Once you have considered your options, determined how much you want to spend on your mattress, and acquired your LMN, you can proceed with your purchase. 

Certain vendors like Purple provide options for you to purchase the mattress directly with your HSA or FSA credit card.

If your vendor doesn't provide this option or you don't have an HSA/FSA card, you can pay for the mattress out of pocket and request reimbursement later. Just be sure to keep all receipts and documentation associated with your purchase.

4. Request Reimbursement

If you've paid for your mattress out of pocket, you'll need to request reimbursement through your HSA account to get the coverage you need. While specific steps may vary by plan, here's what you'll generally need to do:

1. Gather your receipts, documents, and LMN
2. Log in to your HSA/FSA portal
3. Submit a reimbursement claim and use your documentation to fill out all required details
4. Await approval (usually takes between 2-7 business days)

Once you're approved, you should receive the funds directly in your personal bank account, and you'll be on your way to better sleep.

Are Pillows HSA Eligible?

Pillows can be HSA eligible if they meet the same qualification principles as mattresses.

For example, the Purple Harmony™ Pillow is the only pillow in the world with Purple Grid® Hex technology, which flexes to cradle your head and neck. It features no-pressure support, best-in-class cooling, and extreme durability. This pillow's medically relevant features qualify it as HSA eligible, with customers citing its effectiveness for resolving neck and shoulder pain.

Choosing the best pillow for your situation depends on your preferences and the specific needs identified in your Letter of Medical Necessity. Examples of commonly approved pillows include:

• Lumbar pillows: These pillows are designed specifically to enhance lumbar support, which can help you maintain proper posture, improve breathing, and ease spinal pressure while sitting or lying down. They may be recommended for those with spinal problems, such as sciatica or herniated discs.
• Cervical pillows: Cervical pillows are made to support the neck and spine. They help align your head, neck, and spine while you are sleeping to help prevent soreness buildup overnight.
• Pregnancy pillows: These pillows are specifically designed to help people sleep during pregnancy, providing holistic bodily support and comfort as the pregnancy progresses.

Can You Use HSA for an Adjustable Bed?

Yes, you can use your HSA to purchase a bed with an adjustable base, because this feature may help people with a wide range of medical conditions, from sleep apnea and acid reflux to glaucoma and blood circulation complications.²

Adjustable beds combine a flexible mattress with a movable base, giving you many options to adjust the position of your body to accommodate your condition. You can elevate your head to improve breathing and keep stomach acid in its proper place, elevate your legs to decrease swelling and improve circulation, or find a zero gravity position to relieve pressure on your back.

Benefits of Buying a Mattress With Your HSA or FSA

Buying a mattress with your HSA and FSA can come with a lot of possible advantages. For one, HSA and FSA accounts use pre-tax funds, so you're likely getting a huge discount by default. 

Depending on your coverage, you might be able to snag a better mattress at a significantly reduced cost, especially if you time your purchase right.

With that in mind, there are also some possible disadvantages. It's important to remember that this process doesn't guarantee that your application will be accepted or yield total coverage. 

You'll want to prepare for a longer purchasing process and make sure that your documentation and LMN are airtight to avoid possible complications.

Are Purple Mattresses HSA Eligible?

Purple offers a wide range of HSA/FSA eligible products, from mattresses and pillows to bases and even a seat cushion. Buying a mattress through your HSA account allows you to access premium features at a reduced cost, setting you up for dramatically improved sleep quality.

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