The form shows up before the first practice. A sports physical, signed by a doctor, due by a date the school picks. If you paid anything for it, that amount is a qualified medical expense.
I have three boys and an HSA. So this one is personal, even though the math below is a made-up example, not my actual bills.
Publication 502 covers it. You can include "the amount you pay for an annual physical examination and diagnostic tests by a physician." A sports physical is a physical examination. The form on the clipboard does not change that.
What Counts
| What you paid | HSA eligible? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Copay at the pediatrician for the exam | Yes | Physical examination, Pub 502 |
| Cash price at an urgent care or retail clinic | Yes | Same |
| Portion left after insurance | Yes | The part not "compensated for by insurance" |
| A visit your plan covered at $0 | Nothing to claim | Insurance paid it |
| The school's form fee, if any | No | Paperwork fee, not medical care |
| Cleats, mouthguard, the registration fee | No | Not medical care |
Copay at the pediatrician for the exam
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
- Why
- Physical examination, Pub 502
Cash price at an urgent care or retail clinic
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
- Why
- Same
Portion left after insurance
- HSA eligible?
- Yes
- Why
- The part not "compensated for by insurance"
A visit your plan covered at $0
- HSA eligible?
- Nothing to claim
- Why
- Insurance paid it
The school's form fee, if any
- HSA eligible?
- No
- Why
- Paperwork fee, not medical care
Cleats, mouthguard, the registration fee
- HSA eligible?
- No
- Why
- Not medical care
The rule underneath is the same one for every HSA expense. If you paid it, and it was medical care, it qualifies. If insurance paid it, it is not your expense.
The Well-Visit Question
Many pediatricians will sign the sports form during the annual well visit. That visit is preventive care.
IRS Notice 2004-23 lists "periodic health evaluations" and "annual physicals" as preventive care. An HDHP may cover that before the deductible. It lists "well-child care" too.
Your plan may cover the annual well visit at $0 in-network. Check the summary of benefits.
So the common outcome is this. The well visit costs you nothing. The doctor signs the sports form during it. There is no HSA expense because there was no expense.
The HSA comes in when there was a charge. A second visit because the form deadline missed the well visit. A copay because the office coded it as a sick visit. A cash clinic on a Saturday because the form is due Monday.
A Hypothetical Family
Say three kids, three sports, and the well visits do not line up with the forms. Two get signed at their well visit for $0. One needs a separate exam.
| Kid | Where | Paid | HSA claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kid 1 | Well visit, in-network | $0 | none |
| Kid 2 | Well visit, in-network | $0 | none |
| Kid 3 | Urgent care, cash | Whatever the clinic charged | That amount |
One receipt. One claim. The other two visits produce nothing to file, and that is fine.
A $0 visit is the best outcome. It just is not an HSA event.
What to Keep
For the visit that cost something:
- ●The receipt showing the amount paid, the date, and the provider.
- ●The EOB if insurance was billed. It shows your portion. The EOB post covers where to find it.
- ●The kid's name on the record. An HSA covers dependents, and the receipt should show who was seen.
Do not keep the signed sports form as the receipt. It proves the exam happened. It does not prove you paid for it.
Filing It
Tripl is an HSA receipt tracker. Photograph the receipt at the front desk. Tripl reads the provider, the date, and the amount.
Add the kid's name in the note. It files under a health category with the image attached.
The record is stored in the cloud. Connect Google Drive or Dropbox and it mirrors to your own account too. Two copies, two places. Three kids in three sports produces a lot of small receipts.
Tripl is $30 per year for the first 100 sign-ups. After that, $50 a year.
Related
- ●Is a Flu Shot HSA Eligible?
- ●What Can You Buy With an HSA? The Complete List
- ●HSA + Kid Sports Injuries: What Counts
- ●How to Download an EOB
*This is educational content, not financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions about your HSA.*