Can You Use an FSA or HSA for Egg Freezing?
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Always consult your plan administrator or a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation.
Egg freezing is becoming more common as people explore fertility preservation for both medical and personal reasons. Because the cost can be high — often $10,000–$18,000 at many clinics — many people understandably want to know whether Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can help reduce their out-of-pocket expenses.
The short answer: sometimes. Eligibility depends on whether egg freezing is considered medically necessary under IRS rules.
We’ll dive into how FSAs and HSAs work for egg freezing, what is and isn’t eligible, and what documentation you may need. But first, here’s a quick look at how much you could save if your egg freezing cycle qualifies as a medical expense.
How Much Can FSA/HSA Save You?
When egg freezing qualifies as a medical expense, using pre-tax FSA or HSA funds can meaningfully reduce your out-of-pocket cost. The example below shows how tax savings may apply to a single egg freezing cycle.
(Based on CNY Fertility’s all-inclusive egg freezing package of $5,795, which includes medications, anesthesia, egg retrieval, cryopreservation, and all required monitoring. Actual savings depend on how much you have available in your FSA or HSA.)
| Tax Bracket | Egg Freezing Cost at CNY | Estimated Tax Savings | Effective Cost After Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $5,795 | ~$1,159 | ~$4,636 |
| 25% | $5,795 | ~$1,449 | ~$4,346 |
| 30% | $5,795 | ~$1,739 | ~$4,056 |
Egg freezing costs vary widely across the U.S., with many clinics charging $10,000–$18,000 or more per cycle, depending on medications, monitoring, anesthesia, and other fees. Using an FSA or HSA for medically necessary egg freezing can meaningfully reduce out-of-pocket costs, but the actual savings depend not only on your tax bracket and eligibility, but also on the underlying cost of care. Lower baseline costs make tax-advantaged accounts and financing options even more impactful.
Important note about contribution limits
It’s also important to understand annual contribution limits, which often determine how much of an egg freezing cycle you can realistically pay for using FSA or HSA funds.
For 2026, IRS contribution limits include:
Health Care FSA (HCFSA): up to $3,400 per individual, with a limited carryover (up to $680) if allowed by your employer
Health Savings Account (HSA): up to $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage, including both employee and employer contributions
Because many egg freezing patients are single and enrolled in self-only coverage, FSA or HSA funds often do not cover the full cost of an egg freezing cycle. Instead, these accounts are typically used to offset a portion of the total expense, with the remaining balance paid out of pocket or through financing.
Your plan administrator has the final authority on eligibility and reimbursement decisions.
How FSAs and HSAs Work (Brief Overview)
FSAs and HSAs allow you to use pre-tax dollars for eligible medical expenses. Because these funds are contributed before taxes are applied, using an FSA or HSA can reduce the effective cost of treatment by 20–30%, depending on your tax bracket.
What the IRS Considers a Qualified Medical Expense
According to IRS Publication 502, qualified medical expenses include:
“The diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or amounts paid for treatments affecting any part or function of the body.”
This definition forms the basis for determining whether egg freezing may qualify for FSA or HSA reimbursement.
When Egg Freezing May Be a Qualified Medical Expense
The IRS does not explicitly list egg freezing as eligible or ineligible. Instead, reimbursement depends on medical necessity, meaning the treatment is performed to diagnose, treat, mitigate, or prevent a medical condition.
Egg freezing may qualify when it is recommended to preserve fertility due to a medical condition or medical treatment, such as:
Surgical removal of ovaries or ovarian tissue
Autoimmune conditions associated with diminished ovarian reserve
Certain genetic conditions, such as Fragile X premutation
Severe endometriosis
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or medically documented low ovarian reserve
In these situations, egg freezing may be considered part of preventing or mitigating medically induced infertility. Most plans require documentation to support eligibility, often including a Letter of Medical Necessity.
What Egg Freezing Costs May Be Eligible
When egg freezing is medically necessary, the following components of a cycle may be considered qualified medical expenses:
Ultrasound monitoring
Ovarian stimulation medications
Egg retrieval procedure
Anesthesia
Embryology and laboratory services
Short-term cryostorage directly tied to the medical treatment plan
Eligibility varies by plan, and administrators may require diagnosis codes, a Letter of Medical Necessity, and itemized billing.
What’s Not Typically Eligible (Including Storage)
Egg freezing is generally not eligible for reimbursement when performed for personal or elective reasons, including:
Delaying pregnancy for lifestyle or career timing
Concern about age-related fertility decline without a medical diagnosis
Wanting additional reproductive options in the future
Storage fees
Storage follows the same medical-necessity framework:
May qualify: short-term storage that is clearly connected to a medically necessary treatment plan
Usually not eligible: long-term or indefinite storage, or storage unrelated to active medical care
Medical expenses for others
FSA and HSA funds can only be used for medical care for you, your spouse, or an eligible dependent. They cannot be used to pay for egg freezing or medical services for someone else.
Getting a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) for Egg Freezing
When egg freezing is recommended due to a medical diagnosis or an upcoming treatment that may impair fertility, most FSA and HSA administrators require a Letter of Medical Necessity.
What the letter should include
Your name and date of birth
Your diagnosis (ICD-10 code if applicable)
A brief explanation of the condition or treatment
Why egg freezing is medically recommended
Your provider’s name, signature, and date
Example language
“I am treating [Patient Name], DOB [MM/DD/YYYY], for [diagnosis]. Due to this condition and/or the medical treatment required (such as chemotherapy or radiation), there is a significant risk of impaired ovarian function and future infertility. Egg freezing is medically recommended to preserve reproductive potential as part of this patient’s treatment plan.”
A Letter of Medical Necessity cannot be used to justify elective or non-medical egg freezing.
How to Improve Your Chance of Approval
To reduce the risk of a denied claim:
Request a Letter of Medical Necessity if your provider believes egg freezing is medically indicated
Ask your clinic for itemized billing
Confirm eligibility requirements with your FSA or HSA administrator before treatment
Keep copies of clinical documentation, including diagnosis codes, lab results, and prescriptions
Ask whether your plan allows pre-approval
Other Ways to Save on Egg Freezing
Even if your FSA or HSA cannot be used, there are additional practical ways to reduce costs.
1. Choose Your Clinic Wisely — and Travel If Needed
Egg freezing prices vary widely across the U.S., with many clinics charging $10,000–$18,000 for monitoring, medications, anesthesia, and the retrieval.
CNY Fertility offers an all-inclusive egg freezing package for $5,795, which includes:
all required monitoring
all medications
anesthesia
the egg retrieval procedure
- freezing the eggs in liquid nitrogen
Because egg freezing is completed over a relatively short period, many patients choose to travel for care, saving thousands of dollars even after accounting for flights and lodging.
2. Explore Financing Options
If paying the full cost upfront isn’t feasible, financing can help make treatment more manageable. CNY Fertility offers multiple financing options, including:
in-house financing with just 25% down and the remainder paid over time
third-party financing partners for additional flexibility
Financing can also be combined with FSA or HSA reimbursement when medically appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an FSA or HSA for elective egg freezing?
No. Elective or “social” egg freezing does not qualify under IRS rules.
Does age alone make egg freezing medically necessary?
No. Natural age-related fertility decline is not considered a disease under IRS guidelines.
Are storage fees covered?
Only when storage is clearly tied to a medically necessary treatment plan.
Do I need a Letter of Medical Necessity?
Yes, in most medically indicated cases.
Can I combine financing with FSA/HSA reimbursement?
Yes. Financing can help with upfront costs, and eligible medically necessary expenses can still be submitted for reimbursement.
Key Takeaway
Egg freezing can be eligible for FSA or HSA reimbursement, but only when medically necessary due to a diagnosed condition or medical treatment that threatens fertility. Elective egg freezing does not qualify, and long-term storage is rarely covered.
While using pre-tax funds can reduce costs by 20–30%, annual contribution limits often mean these accounts are used to offset part of the expense rather than the full cost. Choosing an affordable clinic and exploring financing options can further reduce financial barriers and make fertility preservation more accessible.
