Yes. Hearing aids are HSA eligible. So are the batteries, repairs, and maintenance needed to run them.
This one is clean. Hearing aids are categorically covered by the IRS. You do not need a prescription for the device.
What the IRS says
IRS Publication 502 is direct. You can include "the cost of a hearing aid and batteries, repairs, and maintenance needed to operate it."
That is the whole rule. The device qualifies. The batteries qualify. The repairs qualify. The upkeep qualifies.
What counts, at a glance
| Item | HSA eligible? |
|---|---|
| Prescription hearing aid | Yes |
| OTC hearing aid | Yes |
| Batteries | Yes |
| Repairs | Yes |
| Maintenance to operate it | Yes |
Prescription hearing aid
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
OTC hearing aid
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
Batteries
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
Repairs
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
Maintenance to operate it
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
The OTC question
This is where people get stuck. In the past, hearing aids came from an audiologist after an exam.
The FDA changed that. Effective October 17, 2022, adults 18 and older with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids over the counter. No exam. No prescription. No audiologist visit required.
So does an OTC hearing aid still count for your HSA? Yes. Hearing aids are includible per Publication 502 as a category. The prescription-medicine rule that trips up drugs does not apply to devices. A drug generally needs a prescription to qualify. A hearing aid does not.
That means you can walk into a store, buy an OTC hearing aid, and pay for it with HSA funds.
Prescription vs OTC, side by side
| Prescription hearing aid | OTC hearing aid | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy | Fitted by a professional | Adults 18+, mild-to-moderate loss |
| Exam required | Typically yes | No |
| HSA eligible | Yes | Yes |
| Batteries and repairs eligible | Yes | Yes |
Who can buy
- OTC hearing aid
- Fitted by a professional
Exam required
- OTC hearing aid
- Typically yes
HSA eligible
- OTC hearing aid
- Yes
Batteries and repairs eligible
- OTC hearing aid
- Yes
Both columns end the same way. Eligible.
Keep the receipt either way
Publication 969 sets the recordkeeping test. Your records must show the distribution was for a qualified expense, was not reimbursed elsewhere, and was not itemized on your taxes.
An OTC hearing aid makes this easy to forget. It rings up like any other store purchase. There is no clinic invoice to jog your memory later.
So save the receipt at the register. A store receipt is your proof. If you buy batteries every month, those receipts add up to real reimbursable dollars over the life of the device.
Where Tripl fits
A big prescription hearing aid receipt is easy to remember. A battery pack is not.
Tripl gives you a shared receipt inbox. Snap the store receipt with your phone or drop a PDF in a synced Drive or Dropbox folder and it imports. Keep the device and its batteries in one folder so the running total is always visible.
If you paid with a card and the receipt vanished, our guide on HSA debit card receipts covers the recovery. The full list of what else qualifies is in our HSA eligible expenses list.
*This is educational content, not financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions about your HSA.*