# HSA (US Health Savings Account) and Mutuelle monthly payments



## papaia

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere else, with more precision than what I found here, but I would really appreciate direct knowledge and supporting evidence for the fact that HSA could be used for payment of the monthly Mutuelle costs. At the link I provided, the document referenced by @berkinet is publication 502, with a reference to "Insurance Premiums" on page 8, but it would be great if someone had more specific information on whether that applies to the French Mutuelle.


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## Bevdeforges

There is certainly nothing that prevents you from using your HSA funds to pay for a mutuelle if you like. Now, the tax implications for that (on either side of the Pond) are another matter. No idea what the restrictions or benefits are on your US tax return for using HSA funds, but here in France there's no particular advantage (or disadvantage) one way or another. Your mutuelle fees aren't really part of your French tax declaration (unless you're getting your mutuelle through your employer, in which case they may be part of the cotisations that are deductible from your gross pay to arrive at your "taxable income" which is the starting point for your declaration).


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## Nunthewiser

I had this thought myself and earlier research I did seems to indicate that HSA expenses could not be used for mutuelles :
"Generally, you cannot treat insurance premiums as qualified medical expenses unless the premiums are for:

a. Long-term care insurance, subject to IRS mandated limits based on age and adjusted annually (see IRS Publication 502: Long-Term Care).

b. Healthcare continuation coverage (such as coverage under COBRA – see IRS Publication 502: COBRA Premium Assistance.

c. Healthcare coverage while receiving unemployment compensation under federal or state law.

d. Medicare and other healthcare coverage if you are 65 or older (other than premiums for a Medicare supplemental policy, such as Medigap)."

I hope to be proven wrong, as I have a fair amount in my HSA. I probably will just go without a mutuelle and burn up this money on qulified expenses in France (which are legal).


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## papaia

Nunthewiser said:


> I hope to be proven wrong, as I have a fair amount in my HSA. I probably will just go without a mutuelle and burn up this money on qulified expenses in France (which are legal).


This is precisely what I'm doing now, but would've been interested in the alternative I asked about, because of the obvious benefits of leaving the HSA money in the markets, and "bleeding" them slowly out, via a monthly withdrawal for a mutuelle, rather than the one lump sum withdrawal for an expensive medical or dental procedure. From your quotes and comment it looks like this is not going to work 🙁


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