How Do HSA/FSA Cards Know What is Valid?

Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards are a convenient way to pay for eligible medical expenses without the hassle of submitting receipts for reimbursement. But have you ever wondered how these cards know what is valid?

Well, HSA/FSA cards are equipped with special technology that can determine the eligibility of a purchase at the point of sale. Here's how they do it:

1. Merchant Category Codes (MCC): Each merchant is assigned a specific MCC by credit card networks, which categorizes the type of goods or services they sell. HSA/FSA cards are programmed to only approve transactions at merchants with eligible MCC codes for healthcare-related expenses.
2. Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS): Some merchants have IIAS in place, which is a system that recognizes eligible items based on their barcode or product code. When you swipe your HSA/FSA card at these merchants, the IIAS automatically identifies valid purchases.
3. Product Code Matching: In the absence of IIAS, HSA/FSA cards can also validate purchases by matching the product codes or descriptions of items against a database of eligible expenses.

It's important to note that not all purchases may be automatically approved by HSA/FSA cards due to various factors. If a transaction is flagged as potentially ineligible, you may be required to submit a receipt for verification.

Overall, HSA/FSA cards use advanced technology and regulatory guidelines to ensure that only qualified medical expenses are paid for, providing a seamless and efficient payment experience for account holders.

Have you ever been puzzled about how your HSA or FSA card knows which purchases are valid? It’s a fair question! These cards are equipped with smart technology that streamlines the process for you, ensuring you don’t have to deal with the headaches of paperwork.

The secret behind this lies in a combination of factors, beginning with Merchant Category Codes (MCC). Each merchant is tagged with an MCC that classifies what types of products or services they offer. Your HSA/FSA card is smart enough to only approve transactions at merchants with the right MCC that relates to healthcare.