Yes, thermometers are FSA eligible. The IRS treats them as diagnostic devices, which is a recognized category of qualified medical expenses, so you can spend pre-tax Health Care FSA dollars on one without a prescription or a letter from your doctor.1Internal Revenue Service. Medical and Dental Expenses That covers a basic digital stick from the drugstore and a Bluetooth-connected smart model alike. A few details about which account you have, what to keep, and how to pay are worth knowing before you check out.
The eligibility comes from Section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, which covers amounts paid for “the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.”2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 213 – Medical, Dental, Etc., Expenses A thermometer exists to detect fever, so it fits. Before 2020, some over-the-counter health items required a doctor’s prescription for FSA reimbursement. Section 3702 of the CARES Act permanently removed that hurdle for OTC drugs and medical products purchased after December 31, 2019.3Internal Revenue Service. IRS Outlines Changes to Health Care Spending Available Under CARES Act
Which Thermometers Qualify
Every common thermometer technology qualifies as long as the device is designed to measure human body temperature. What the IRS cares about is the medical diagnostic function, not the specific technology.1Internal Revenue Service. Medical and Dental Expenses
- Digital oral and rectal thermometers, the most common and least expensive option, are fully eligible.
- Tympanic (ear) thermometers, which read infrared heat from the eardrum, are eligible.
- Non-contact infrared forehead thermometers are eligible.
- Smart thermometers that sync readings to a phone app are eligible; the primary function is still diagnosing fever.
- Basal body temperature thermometers used for fertility tracking qualify, because monitoring a bodily function for reproductive health falls within the Section 213(d) definition.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 213 – Medical, Dental, Etc., Expenses
Cooking thermometers, aquarium thermometers, and anything else not designed to measure human body temperature don’t qualify. If a product has no medical diagnostic purpose, it fails the IRS test regardless of the technology inside.
One Exception: Limited Purpose FSAs
If you have a Limited Purpose FSA rather than a standard Health Care FSA, thermometers are not covered. A Limited Purpose FSA is restricted to dental and vision expenses so that people enrolled in a high-deductible health plan can pair it with an HSA. General diagnostic devices sit outside that narrow scope. With this type of account you would need to use your HSA or pay out of pocket. Check your benefits enrollment paperwork if you’re not sure which type of FSA you have.
Buying for Your Family
You aren’t limited to thermometers for yourself. Your FSA can reimburse eligible medical expenses for your spouse and your tax dependents, including qualifying children and qualifying relatives.1Internal Revenue Service. Medical and Dental Expenses A thermometer for a child heading to college, or for an aging parent who qualifies as your dependent, is reimbursable from your account.
How to Pay
Using Your FSA Debit Card
The easiest route is paying with your FSA debit card at a retailer that uses the Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS). The system checks each item at the register against a standardized list of IRS-eligible products and approves or declines the FSA portion automatically.4SIGIS. Merchants Most major pharmacies and many large retailers participate, so the purchase often needs no follow-up. If the store’s system flags the thermometer as eligible, the charge goes through and your administrator sees a verified medical expense.
Filing a Manual Claim
If you pay with a personal card or cash, or shop somewhere without IIAS, you can submit a reimbursement claim afterward. Most plan administrators offer this through an online portal or mobile app. Upload a photo of your itemized receipt and fill in the fields. The receipt needs to show the store name, the purchase date, a description of the product, and the amount paid.5Internal Revenue Service. Notice 2006-69 A credit card statement alone usually isn’t enough because it doesn’t identify the specific item.
Shipping and Sales Tax
If you order online, shipping and handling fees are reimbursable, as is any sales tax charged on the purchase. Those costs qualify as long as the underlying item is an eligible medical expense.6FSAFEDS. Eligible Health Care FSA Expenses Make sure the receipt or order confirmation itemizes these charges separately so your administrator can verify them.
What to Keep
Hold on to your receipts and claim records for at least three years from the date you file the tax return for that year. That matches the standard IRS assessment period, meaning the agency can review your returns and request documentation within that window.7Internal Revenue Service. How Long Should I Keep Records Digital copies in a dedicated folder work well, especially since most plan administrators already store claim history in their portal.