I have one of those employer sponsored Health Savings Accounts (this is not a flexible spending account but rather an HSA that goes with a High Deductible Insurance Policy my employer offers). I put away $xxx into a HSA and am responsible for the first $1200 of medical expenses before my insurance kicks in.

So because I have not had to go to the Dr very often I have a pretty large sum of money saved up in my HSA. I was thinking the other day - I wonder if I could use this to get a couple pairs of Skins recovery tights or something. You could easily say its to help circulation, alleviate pain, help varicose veins, etc/etc.

Doesn't seem too far fetched does it?


Government HSA FAQ:

How do I know what is included as “qualified medical expenses”?
Unfortunately, we cannot provide a definitive list of “qualified medical expenses”. A partial list is provided in IRS Pub 502 (available at www.irs.gov). There have been thousands of cases involving the many nuances of what constitutes "medical care" for purposes of section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code. A determination of whether an expense is for "medical care" is based on all the relevant facts and circumstances. To be an expense for medical care, the expense has to be primarily for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness. The determination often hangs on the word "primarily."