The best mattresses are more than a cozy getaway in your bedroom — for many, they’re also the key to better health. For conditions like sleep apnea and chronic pain, mattresses are considered medical necessities. Since mattresses are so central to health, there is a way to save some money on a new mattress. Many top mattresses let you use Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds to buy a new bed. This process saves you money while also letting you use your leftover FSA funds before they’re gone.
While you can’t buy mattresses directly on FSA/HSA stores, many mattress brands — like Sleep Number and Nectar — partner with companies like TrueMed and Sika to help people with qualifying medical conditions to use their pre-taxed dollars to buy a mattress. Not everyone qualifies to use their HSA/FSA funds for a mattress, but it’s easier to qualify than you may think.
We’ve gathered everything you need to know about using HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress, including why you should do it, who qualifies, and which mattresses are eligible.
Who qualifies to use HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress?
Not everyone can use their HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress. A mattress is only available for reimbursement if it “treats, reverses, or prevents a diagnosed medical condition,” and requires a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) from a doctor. Services like TrueMed and Sika make it easy and free to find out if you qualify and link you to a provider that can provide the LMN.
Since sleep is important to many health conditions, there is a wide range of conditions that could qualify you to use your HSA/FSA on a new mattress. These conditions include mental health conditions like anxiety and depression; sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, and chronic fatigue; chronic pain, including arthritis and fibromyalgia; and diseases like autoimmune disease, heart disease, and diabetes. If you’ve been deemed “overweight” or “obese” by a doctor, you might be eligible, too. Regardless of your condition, your new mattress must actively improve or treat your health.
Why use HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress?
The short answer is: it’ll save you money. Since money in your HSA or FSA is pre-taxed, you have more spending power using these funds. Your HSA/FSA can cover sales tax, too.
Also, FSA funds are “use it or lose it” and expire at the end of the year. If you have leftover funds, using them to buy a new mattress prevents it from going to waste.
How to use HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress
Using your HSA/FSA funds to buy a mattress is simple. At each retailer’s website, you’ll add products to your cart as usual, and when you get to the payment screen, select the option that says “pay with HSA/FSA.” This will lead you to a health survey. Once complete, you’ll be prompted to check out. Most companies recommend checking out with your personal credit card and submitting a reimbursement request, but there’s also the option to pay directly from your HSA/FSA card, too. If you want to use part of your savings to pay for the mattress but don’t have enough to cover the entire purchase in your account, then put it on your normal credit or debit card. This way, you’ll easily be reimbursed for the funds you do use without making the cost splitting complicated.
If you qualify, you’ll receive an electronic LMN in your inbox within about 24-48 hours. You can then send it to your savings account provider to start your reimbursement.
Importantly, your funds won’t fully cover a mattress since HSA/FSA funds can only be used to pay for mattress features that actively improve your health, like cooling properties or extra support. For instance, when we completed the survey and ran a queen-size Purple and DreamCloud mattress through TrueMed, the cost of the mattress was covered, minus $223, which is considered an average price for a basic mattress. It even covered the in-home setup on the Purple. Essentially, your funds can pay up to 90% of the mattress’s price.
What mattresses are HSA/FSA eligible?
While you can’t use HSA and FSA funds to buy any mattress on the market, there’s a sizable list of comfortable mattresses that are eligible. Notably, the Nectar Classic Mattress, one of the best mattresses for back pain, is available for purchase with HSA/FSA funds.
Nectar
You can either use an HSA/FSA at checkout on eligible mattresses or submit a reimbursement request after you’re confirmed. After checkout, you’ll receive a survey from TrueMed. If you don’t have enough funds to cover the entire mattress, Nectar recommends paying with your personal credit card and then using the reimbursement request.
Nectar Classic Mattress (Queen)
The gel memory foam of the Nectar makes it a versatile mattress that conforms to the contours of your body to relieve pressure. It’s a premium sleep experience, but its price tag is way under a grand.
Nectar Luxe Hybrid Mattress
Nectar’s Luxe Hybrid mattress combines memory foam and individually-wrapped coils for optimal comfort and support. It has a plush, cool feel that’s perfect for side sleepers and hot sleepers.
Purple
Like Nectar, Purple’s qualification system is run through TrueMed. At checkout, click the “Pay with HSA/FSA” button in payment options. This will take you to the health survey. If you qualify, you can also pay and submit a reimbursement request. Read our Purple mattress review to learn about all of Purple’s beds in one place.
Purple Mattress (Queen)
The Purple Mattress features a pressure-relieving gel grid and a medium firmness ideal for side sleepers. Its excellent heat dissipation makes it a smart choice for hot sleepers.
Purple RestorePlus Hybrid Mattress (Queen)
Offering impressive edge support and motion isolation, the Purple RestorePlus is a great mattress for couples. We loved the soft version for side sleeping, though it’s also available in firm.
Sleep Number
At Sleep Number, you don’t pay directly through your savings account. Instead, you complete the purchase as normal, indicate during checkout that you’d like to use HSA/FSA funds, then take the health survey. If you qualify, you’ll receive a Letter of Medical Necessity, which you’ll then send your documentation to your HSA or FSA provider for reimbursement. Read our Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed review.
Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed (Queen)
If you and your partner just can’t agree on mattress firmness, the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed allows you to customize each side to your perfect firmness. The bed automatically adjusts based on your body’s position.
Avocado
To qualify with Avocado, you take the health survey from Sika prior to checking out. Then, with your LMN in hand, you’ll make your purchase using your HSA/FSA, which Sika will confirm before sending you an email with reimbursement instructions.
Avocado Green Mattress (Queen)
The Avocado Green Mattress is made of organic certified latex, wool, and cotton using carbon-neutral practices and is backed by a 25-year warranty.
Avocado Eco Organic Mattress
Like Avocado’s Green Mattress, the Eco Organic Mattress is made with organic latex and GOTS-certified wool and cotton. It’s a more affordable option than the Green Mattress.
Other mattresses
GhostBeds, PlushBeds, Zinus, Dreamcloud, and Essentia are all partnered with TrueMed, and the process system is similar to Purple and Nectar. After choosing to pay with HSA/FSA at checkout, you’ll take a survey. If you qualify, you’ll receive your LMN and check out using either your HSA/FSA funds or your credit or debit card for later reimbursement.
DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress (Queen)
The DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress performed well in all of our tests, which makes it ideal for most sleeping types, couples, and people who tend to overheat at night.
GhostBed Luxe Foam Mattress (Queen)
Couples shopping for a foam mattress will appreciate the GhostBed Luxe Foam Mattress’s medium firmness, great motion isolation, and excellent edge support.
What other sleep products can you buy with an HSA/FSA?
In addition to mattresses, you can also buy pillows, adjustable bases, alarm clocks, and even weighted blankets using your HSA/FSA funds. Just like with a mattress, you’ll have to qualify for an LMN. We’ve included a few of our favorite eligible products below.
Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow
The Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow offers thoughtful features like adjustable fill, a washable pillow cover, and an unparalleled 100-night trial, making it the best choice for most people.
Purple Harmony Pillow
The innovative Purple Harmony incorporates a honeycomb-patterned Grid (the same material as in its mattresses) that surrounds a supportive inner core of hypoallergenic ventilated latex for an extremely comfortable and supportive pillow that sleeps cool.
Purple Premium Plus Smart Base (Queen)
The Purple Premium Plus Smart Base is your best option for an adjustable bed with massaging capabilities, app connectivity, and pillow, head, and foot adjustments.
Hatch Restore 3
The Hatch Restore 3 now features phone-free controls and enhanced sound quality, offering you even more ways to personalize your sleep routine with over 50 sounds and 18 light colors, while minimizing screen time for a better night’s rest.
Bearaby Cotton Napper (15 lbs)
The cocoon-like, knit-woven Bearaby Cotton Napper keeps you cozy yet cool as you lounge on the couch. The 40-by-64-inch 10-pound blanket is entirely machine washable, made of 100% cotton.
Rest Evercool Cooling Comforter
The Rest Evercool comforter is one of the coolest and most versatile options we tested, offering exceptional breathability and a silky-smooth feel in various colors and sizes, ensuring a sweat-free and comfortable night’s sleep.
The bottom line
If you have a qualifying medical condition like a sleep disorder, mental illness, or chronic pain, using your HSA/FSA funds could save you money when buying a new mattress, and it is a great way to spend any leftover FSA funds if your medical expenses were less than you expected this year. Not all mattresses are eligible, but brands make the process easy by partnering with companies like TrueMed to check if you qualify, send a letter of medical necessity, and reimburse you.
