Does FSA cover acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a qualified FSA expense — IRS Publication 502 lists it by name as a deductible medical cost.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
You're paying a practitioner for acupuncture treatment — this is the ordinary case and it's eligible.
- Not covered when
The charge is for a non-treatment add-on (retail supplements, wellness products) bundled into the visit rather than the acupuncture service itself.
IRS Publication 502 names acupuncture directly in its list of qualified medical expenses, so you can pay for acupuncture treatment with FSA funds without needing a special exception.
That means out-of-pocket acupuncture visits — including amounts your health plan doesn't cover — are eligible for reimbursement from your FSA.
Because it's a treatment expense, you'll want the usual documentation an FSA administrator asks for: an itemized receipt showing the provider, date, and service. Some plans may ask for substantiation, but acupuncture itself doesn't require a Letter of Medical Necessity the way a dual-purpose item would.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your actual policy.
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