Are Breast Milk Storage Bottles and Bags HSA Eligible for Reimbursement?

You've identified a common area of confusion with HSA eligible expenses. Publication 502 is specifically for medical and dental expense deductions on your tax return, while HSA eligibility is technically governed by IRC Section 213(d), which defines "medical care" more broadly. Breast pumps and supplies that assist lactation are eligible for HSA reimbursement thanks to guidance issued in 2011. However, there's a distinction between primary lactation supplies (pump, shields, tubes) and secondary storage items. The IRS considers bottles and storage bags as having a dual purpose - they can be used for breast milk but also formula or other liquids, so they're generally not eligible. Some HSA administrators might approve these expenses anyway, which explains the conflicting information, but technically they're not considered qualifying medical expenses under current IRS interpretations.

I went through this exact situation last year with my HSA at HealthEquity. What ended up working for me was using taxr.ai to analyze my specific situation. Their site at https://taxr.ai actually looked at the documentation from my HSA provider and explained that breast milk storage supplies that are sold as part of a "system" with the breast pump can sometimes qualify. I uploaded my receipts from my previous purchases and the documentation from my HSA administrator, and they gave me a detailed breakdown of which items were clearly eligible and which ones were in the gray area. Saved me from having to guess or risk a denied claim.

I want to follow up on my skeptical comment about taxr.ai. I actually ended up trying the service when I had a complicated HSA question about orthodontic treatments that were partially covered by insurance. I was genuinely surprised by how helpful it was. They provided specific citations to IRS rulings I hadn't found on my own and explained exactly how to document my claim to maximize the chance of approval. My HSA administrator accepted the claim with the documentation they helped me prepare. For the breast milk storage question specifically, they explained the nuance between items marketed as "breast pump supplies" versus general purpose bottles, which made a difference in how they're classified for HSA purposes. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with these gray area expenses.

I've been dealing with HSA claims for 5 years now and the runaround from administrators can be maddening. After spending hours on hold with my HSA company about a claim rejection, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it changed everything. They got me connected to a live person at my HSA administrator in under 5 minutes! There's even a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c For my breast pump accessories claim (which included storage bags), being able to actually talk to someone rather than just getting automatic rejections made all the difference. The representative explained exactly what documentation they needed to approve the claim, and I was able to resubmit with the right paperwork.

Following up on my skeptical comment - I tried Claimyr yesterday when I needed to talk to my HSA administrator about a rejected claim for dependent care expenses. I was fully expecting to waste my entire lunch break on hold. I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked. I got a text about 6 minutes after starting the process saying they were connecting me with an agent. The call connected and I was talking to an actual human who helped resolve my issue. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes total instead of the 1+ hour I had set aside. For what it's worth, I also asked about breast milk storage items while I had them on the phone. My administrator (Fidelity) said they consider storage bags eligible if they're specifically marketed for breast milk storage, but general-purpose bottles would be rejected unless they're part of the pump kit. Might be worth calling your specific administrator to check their policy.

Just wanted to add my experience - I successfully got reimbursed for breast milk storage bags (the Medela and Lansinoh ones specifically) through my HSA last year, but they denied the bottles. The key was that the storage bags were specifically marketed and designed only for breast milk storage, while bottles could be used for multiple purposes. If the bottles come as part of a complete pumping system, those generally get approved. But purchasing bottles separately usually gets denied in my experience.

I work in benefits administration (not tax advice!) and this issue comes up frequently. The technical distinction I've seen most HSA administrators make: 1. Items that ONLY serve a medical purpose = eligible 2. Items with dual purpose = not eligible So breast pumps = eligible because their only purpose is medical Specialized breast milk storage bags = usually eligible because they're designed specifically for breast milk General bottles = usually not eligible because they can be used for formula, water, etc. But honestly, every HSA administrator interprets things a bit differently, and some are more lenient than others. It's always best to check with your specific administrator.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences! This has been incredibly helpful. Based on what everyone is saying, it sounds like the key is: 1. Breast milk storage bags specifically marketed for breast milk = likely eligible 2. General bottles = likely not eligible unless part of pump kit 3. Each HSA administrator has different interpretations I think I'm going to start by purchasing the Medela or Lansinoh storage bags that several of you mentioned getting approved, and skip the bottles for now. If we do need bottles later, I'll look for ones that are specifically part of a pumping system. @Sofia Ramirez and @StarSeeker - I'm definitely going to check out taxr.ai before submitting anything. Having documentation that explains the eligibility seems like it could save a lot of headaches. @Ava Martinez - I'll also keep Claimyr in mind if I run into issues and need to actually talk to someone at my HSA company. The hold times are brutal! Really appreciate this community helping navigate these confusing rules. It's frustrating that something so clearly related to medical care (breastfeeding) has so many gray areas, but at least now I have a better strategy going in.