Are tampons and pads HSA eligible?
Yes, since 2020. Tampons, pads, liners, cups and sponges can be paid from an HSA, with no prescription.
The rule
The CARES Act made menstrual care products a medical expense for an HSA, for anything paid after December 31, 2019. The IRS defines them as tampons, pads, liners, cups, sponges and similar products.
Publication 969 now says it in its definition of what an HSA pays for: amounts paid for menstrual care products are treated as paid for medical care.
Paid yourself, it waits in the HSA until you take the money out, this year or decades from now.
- What to keep
- The store receipt with the products, the date and what you paid.
Checked on October 2, 2026 against IR-2020-122, the CARES Act and health spending accounts, Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and IRS FAQs on nutrition, wellness and general health. An estimate for your records, not tax advice.
Keep the receipt. Take the money out later.
Pay a medical bill yourself and Reimburse keeps the receipt, with who it was for, until you take the money out of your HSA tax-free.