What Is a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN)?
What Is a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN)?
You might’ve heard the term floating around—“LMN”—especially if you’ve dipped your toes into using your HSA or FSA for more than just the usual band-aids and eye drops. But what actually is an LMN? And why should you care?
Let’s break it down.
HSA/FSA 101: A Quick Refresher
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are pre-tax accounts designed to help you save money on healthcare expenses. HSAs are linked to high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and FSAs can be used with most insurance types.
The best part? Every dollar you contribute is pre-tax, meaning you’re using money that hasn’t been taxed yet—saving you an average of 30% on qualified health expenses.
The Traditional (and Limited) View
Historically, people thought of HSA and FSA accounts as limited-use tools: great for co-pays, prescriptions, and over-the-counter basics like sunscreen or cold meds.
Helpful? Sure. But exciting? Not really.
The Shift Toward Root-Cause Wellness
There’s a shift happening—and it’s long overdue. More people (and forward-thinking providers) are recognizing that preventing and managing chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, or heart disease often requires more than a pill bottle. Think:
- Fitness memberships and training programs
- High-quality supplements and functional nutrition products
- Wearable health tech and tracking tools
- Metabolic health programs and labs
- Sleep, recovery, and stress support
The catch? These typically fall outside the default “qualified expenses” list—unless you have a magic little document called a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN).
So... What’s an LMN?
An LMN is a Letter of Medical Necessity. It’s a note from a qualified healthcare provider that says, “Hey, this product or service isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s medically necessary for this person’s health.”
And here’s the cool part: When you have an LMN, you can use your HSA or FSA to pay for these items, or get reimbursed later—with pre-tax dollars. That means real savings on things that can truly move the needle on your health.
Where Truemed Comes In
At Truemed, we help make LMNs easy. We connect you with a licensed practitioner who can evaluate your needs and, if appropriate, issue an LMN for products and services that qualify under IRS guidelines.
That unlocks two things:
- You can pay directly with your HSA/FSA card (when merchants partner with Truemed).
- You can get reimbursed for qualifying purchases using your HSA/FSA.
No insurance battles. No red tape. Just smart, preventive health—now 30% more affordable.
An LMN = Your Golden Ticket
Think of an LMN as your golden ticket to using your HSA/FSA in a more powerful, proactive way. It transforms your account from a backup fund into a wellness accelerator.
So next time someone asks, “Wait... what’s an LMN?”
You’ll know the answer: It’s how you unlock tax-free spending on health products that actually make a difference.
Want to see if your favorite brand is eligible?
Browse Truemed Partners to get started today.