HSA Insider: Family planning and fertility treatments

One of the benefits of being an HSA Insiders member is that we give you exclusive looks into exciting new ways to maximize your tax-free funds. Last month, we discussed how to use your tax-free HSA funds for top-tier heart health. But for April, we're going to switch gears and talk about family planning.

With so many parenting expenses considered "voluntary" it's often easy to forget that many of these family planning costs are eligible for purchase with tax-free dollars. And that includes the expenses that come before you even become pregnant.

Yes, fertility treatment is HSA-eligible...

Doctor-provided fertility treatments are eligible for reimbursement with both flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and HSAs.

Your HSA also covers medications that enhance fertility in either partner, or even artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization. And before these treatments even start, your doctor may recommend fertility medications that include hormones which may encourage the female body to be more receptive to becoming pregnant.

...and fertility monitors are, too!

To put it simply, at-home fertility monitors assist parents-to-be by determining their most fertile days of the woman's cycle for a better chance at pregnancy. Today, many fertility monitors can analyze a variety of indicators to determine the timing of a user's cycle and provide better recommendations on the best times for getting pregnant.

Some fertility monitors measure body temperature after a restful sleep (usually in the morning). Based on this data, ovulation can be predicted by a rise in temperature.

Other fertility monitors measure indicators in body fluids to check for hormones, which will indicate when ovulation will likely occur. This is roughly 12 to 36 hours after reading a certain concentration of hormones.

One of the most diverse categories in family planning, fertility monitors can be standalone devices, with sensors that send readings, feedback, and advice directly to a smartphone. Others are much simpler and more cost-effective.

As always, consult a medical professional for advice on which type of fertility monitor is appropriate for you.

We're committed to giving Insiders members a better look at HSA-eligible services and benefits they may not have considered. Well, just as spring is blooming all around the country, so might your desire to welcome a new member of your family. Let your HSA help you forget about costs of family planning, so you can focus on ... more important things.