Why You Can Trust CNET How to shop at Amazon with your FSA or HSA card
And that's just for starters. You might be surprised to learn how many products are eligible.
Use this card (if you have one) to buy sunscreen, bandages and tons of other health-related products on Amazon.
Do you have a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account as part of your health insurance? Good news: You can use it to buy a wealth of health and wellness products at Amazon.
Surprised? I was, too. Our insurance plan includes an HSA credit card with a fixed spending amount per year. I've used it for things like co-pays at the doctor's office and prescriptions at the pharmacy.
Read more: FSA vs. HSA: What's the difference? | 14 unexpected things you can buy with your FSA
But I didn't realize I could also use it to shop at Amazon for things like:
- Allergy treatments
- Blood-pressure monitors
- Contact-lens cleaner
- Lip balm
- Reading glasses
- Sunscreen
- TENS massage systems
You can also be on the lookout for any Amazon product that has "FSA or HSA eligible" listed below the price and above the buy buttons, as shown in the screenshot here.
How prices compare
Does Amazon charge any kind of premium for FSA/HSA-eligible products? Not that I could see. Indeed, when I looked at a handful of sample items, I found that in most cases, Amazon was cheaper than CVS or Walgreen's -- in some cases much cheaper.
Amazon vs. CVS vs. Walgreens
How to use your FSA or HSA card to make Amazon purchases
To use your card, just add it to your Amazon Wallet alongside your other method(s) of payment. You may also want to check out Amazon's HSA/FSA frequently asked questions.
Here's one: Why can't you buy over-the-counter (OTC) meds this way? Turns out you need a prescription to use an HSA/FSA card for those, even though that contradicts the very definition of OTC.
But if you need anything from air purifiers to wart removers, you can shop on Amazon and pay with your HSA/FSA card. Who knew?
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