Move Free is FSA eligible only when a medical provider recommends it to treat a specific diagnosed condition such as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. The IRS treats glucosamine, chondroitin, and other nutritional supplements as reimbursable through a Flexible Spending Account only in that narrow circumstance, not when taken for general wellness or preventive joint health.1Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Expenses Related to Nutrition, Wellness, and General Health To get reimbursed, you need a Letter of Medical Necessity from your provider and an itemized receipt for each purchase.
Why a Letter of Medical Necessity Is Required
IRS Publication 502 states that the cost of nutritional supplements, vitamins, and herbal supplements cannot be counted as a medical expense unless a medical practitioner recommends them to treat a specific condition diagnosed by a physician.2Internal Revenue Service. Publication 502 – Medical and Dental Expenses That rule is what separates Move Free from items like bandages or aspirin, which are recognized as medical expenses on their own.
As a dietary supplement, Move Free sits in a gray zone. It can serve a medical purpose, but only if your doctor documents that it does so for you. Without that documentation, your FSA administrator will treat the purchase the same as a multivitamin and deny the claim.
Which Move Free Products Qualify
Move Free sells several product lines with very different active ingredients, and the difference matters here. The Advanced and Advanced Plus MSM formulas use glucosamine and chondroitin as their primary active ingredients, compounds widely used to treat osteoarthritis and similar joint conditions.3National Center for Biotechnology Information. Move Free – LiverTox These formulas are the most straightforward to cover with a Letter of Medical Necessity because their ingredients have an established link to diagnosed joint disease.
Several Move Free Ultra products, including Ultra Faster Comfort, Ultra Triple Action, and Ultra Turmeric & Tamarind, contain no glucosamine or chondroitin.3National Center for Biotechnology Information. Move Free – LiverTox Their active ingredients are botanical extracts, calcium fructoborate, or hyaluronic acid blends. Getting a Letter of Medical Necessity approved for one of these can be harder because the tie to treating a diagnosed condition is less established. Before spending FSA dollars, confirm that the exact formula on the shelf matches the product your doctor named.
Getting the Letter of Medical Necessity
A Letter of Medical Necessity is a short document your provider fills out confirming that a product is medically required for your condition. A physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner can complete it, and the form does not restrict how you saw the provider, so a letter from a telehealth visit is generally acceptable as long as the practitioner is licensed.4FSAFEDS. Letter of Medical Necessity Form
The letter should include:
- A specific diagnosis, such as osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, or rheumatoid arthritis, rather than a general complaint like “joint pain.”
- The recommended product by name, along with an explanation of how the ingredients (typically glucosamine and chondroitin) treat or reduce symptoms of the diagnosed condition.
- A start and end date for the treatment, or a note that the condition is chronic.
Most FSA administrators require a new letter each plan year. One major administrator’s form states that services cannot be approved indefinitely and that the treatment period cannot exceed 12 months at a time.5HealthEquity. HRA/FSA Letter of Medical Necessity Set a reminder to request an updated letter before your plan year resets.
Receipts You Need to Keep
A credit card statement is not enough. Your administrator needs an itemized receipt showing the merchant, the purchase date (within your current plan year), the specific Move Free product name, and the exact amount paid. Receipts that show only a generic line like “HBA” or “pharmacy” will usually be rejected.
Save a photo of the packaging or the UPC barcode alongside each receipt. If the administrator later questions which product you bought, that image resolves it quickly. Keep everything digital and organized with your Letter of Medical Necessity so you can resubmit without hunting for paperwork.
Submitting the Claim
Most administrators accept claims through an online portal or mobile app. You upload the itemized receipt and, on your first claim of the plan year, the Letter of Medical Necessity. The letter usually stays on file for the rest of the year unless the treatment period expires.5HealthEquity. HRA/FSA Letter of Medical Necessity Processing times vary, but many claims are reviewed within a few business days, with direct deposit following soon after approval.6FSAFEDS. How Long Will It Take to Receive Reimbursement
If your plan issues an FSA debit card, you can try it at checkout, but supplements often do not auto-approve at the register the way standard over-the-counter medical items do. Pharmacy inventory systems flag pre-approved medical products, and supplements typically fall outside that list. If the swipe fails or the transaction gets flagged for substantiation, pay out of pocket and file for reimbursement instead. Either way, keep the itemized receipt, because the administrator may ask you to substantiate a debit card purchase after the fact.
If Your Claim Is Denied
The most common denial reasons are a missing or expired Letter of Medical Necessity, a receipt without product-level detail, or a purchase date outside the plan year. The denial notice should identify which one applies. Fixing the underlying gap and resubmitting is often enough.
If the denial holds, you generally have the right to file a formal appeal. Procedures vary by plan, and typically move from an informal inquiry to a written appeal with supporting documents, with a second-level review available if the first appeal is denied.7FSAFEDS. Appeals Process Quick Reference Guide Check your plan documents for the deadlines that apply to your account.
Deadlines and Limits to Plan Around
For 2026, the IRS caps health care FSA contributions at $3,400 per person. If your plan allows unused funds to roll over, the maximum carryover into the next plan year is $680.8Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026 Those numbers matter if you plan to buy Move Free regularly through the year.
FSA money follows a use-it-or-lose-it rule. Some plans include a grace period of up to two and a half months after the plan year ends, others offer the carryover, and some offer neither. An employer can offer one option but not both. Most plans also provide a run-out period, typically 30 to 90 days after the plan year, during which you can still submit claims for expenses you incurred during the year. Miss the run-out window and you lose the reimbursement even if the expense was fully eligible.
The Same Rule Applies to HSAs
If you have a Health Savings Account, the IRS applies the same standard: supplements are reimbursable only when a medical practitioner recommends them for a diagnosed condition.1Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Expenses Related to Nutrition, Wellness, and General Health You still need the Letter of Medical Necessity and an itemized receipt. The consequence of getting it wrong is different, though. With an HSA, a non-qualified withdrawal before age 65 is included in your taxable income and hit with an additional 20 percent tax.9Internal Revenue Service. Publication 969 (2025), Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans With an FSA, a denied claim simply means you pay out of pocket. Either way, keep your documentation.