Yes - telehealth visits with licensed clinicians are qualified medical expenses under IRS rules, so you can pay with your HSA or FSA card, or pay cash and reimburse yourself. The visit, and usually the prescriptions and labs that come from it, all qualify.
What qualifies: telehealth visits with licensed clinicians (primary care, urgent care, mental health), prescriptions, and lab work ordered through them. What does not: services that are not medical care (a gym app, wellness subscriptions without a medical service), and anything you also got reimbursed by insurance - no double-dipping. Pay directly with the HSA/FSA debit card at checkout, or save the itemized receipt and reimburse yourself later. Therapy platforms like BetterHelp state they accept HSA/FSA cards for their subscriptions. Keep receipts - the IRS can ask.
What to do
Common questions
Is a telehealth visit HSA-eligible?
Yes - a visit with a licensed clinician is a qualified medical expense under IRS Publication 502 whether it happens in an office or on a screen. The same goes for psychiatric care and therapy with licensed providers. The eligibility follows the care, not the building.
Do subscriptions like BetterHelp or Hims qualify?
When the charge is for medical care from licensed clinicians, generally yes - BetterHelp states it accepts HSA/FSA cards, for example. The gray zone is wellness subscriptions that include no medical service (meditation apps, fitness programs without a medical diagnosis) - those generally do not qualify. When in doubt, ask the provider for an itemized receipt showing the medical service.
Can I reimburse myself later?
Yes - there is no deadline for HSA reimbursement as long as the account was open when the expense happened and you have not been reimbursed another way. Pay cash now, keep the itemized receipt, reimburse whenever. FSAs are stricter: expenses must fall in the plan year (plus any grace period), so file those promptly.
Do labs and prescriptions from a telehealth visit count too?
Yes - prescriptions are always qualified expenses, and lab work ordered in the course of care qualifies as well. Even direct-to-consumer lab tests can qualify when they diagnose or monitor a medical condition. Emergencies skip this list: chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding, or thoughts of self-harm mean call 911, or 988 for a mental health crisis in the US.