Hi, I'm Shubhi, one of the co-founders at Burst. This guide is for anyone shopping for a new mattress, or already paying for one, who's heard that FSA or HSA dollars might cover it.

Short answer. Yes. Most major mattress brands (Casper, Saatva, Helix, Purple, Nectar, Sleep Number, Tempur-Pedic, Eight Sleep, Mattress Firm, Big Fig, Brooklyn Bedding, Birch) can be reimbursed from your FSA or HSA when you have a Letter of Medical Necessity. A mattress is what the IRS calls dual-purpose — it's furniture by default, but with an LMN naming a sleep-related medical situation it becomes a reimbursable expense. The same applies to mattress toppers, adjustable bases, and certain bedding accessories. Below is which brands fit which situations, what your LMN needs to cover, and the common pitfalls.

If that already describes you, the request takes about three minutes and you can skip the rest of this guide.

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Why mattresses qualify with an LMN

The IRS rule (Publication 502 + Notices 2006-69 and 2007-2) is that medical expenses include anything that treats, mitigates, or alleviates a specific medical condition. A general bed is furniture. A mattress purchased to manage chronic back pain, sleep apnea, post-surgical recovery, fibromyalgia, or another sleep-impacting condition is medical equipment, when documented.

What changes the IRS view is the LMN. A short note from a licensed clinician naming the condition and connecting the mattress purchase to it. Plan administrators will reimburse against this documentation.

Brand-by-brand fit

• Eight Sleep (Pod 5). The smart cooling mattress. Strong fit for sleep temperature regulation, perimenopause, hot flashes, and sleep apnea-adjacent contexts. Common condition: insomnia, hyperhidrosis, perimenopausal sleep disruption.

• Saatva. Innerspring + memory foam hybrid line. Strong fit for chronic back pain and post-surgical recovery (the firmness levels accommodate physical therapy plans). Common condition: chronic low back pain, post-spinal-surgery recovery.

• Helix. Personalized hybrid lineup. Strong fit for back pain, side-sleeper hip pain, and shoulder pain. Common condition: chronic pain, sciatica.

• Purple. The grid-based pressure-relief mattress. Strong fit for joint pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia. Common condition: arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy.

• Nectar. Memory foam line. Strong fit for general chronic pain support and sleep-onset issues. Common condition: chronic pain, insomnia.

• Sleep Number. Adjustable air chambers. Strong fit for couples with different needs and people with shifting comfort requirements through PT or recovery. Common condition: post-surgical recovery, chronic low back pain.

• Tempur-Pedic. The original memory foam. Strong fit for chronic back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, post-surgical recovery. Common condition: chronic pain, fibromyalgia.

• Casper. The original online mattress. Strong fit for general chronic pain and sleep onset support. Common condition: chronic pain, insomnia.

• Mattress Firm. Multi-brand retailer. Eligibility tracks the specific brand purchased.

• Big Fig. Plus-size-rated mattress lineup. Strong fit for situations where weight + back pain are interrelated.

• Brooklyn Bedding. Custom firmness builds. Strong fit for personalized-recovery contexts.

• Birch by Helix. Natural latex line. Strong fit for chemical sensitivity, MCS, allergic asthma.

Adjacent eligible items

• Mattress toppers — same eligibility rules as mattresses; an LMN works.

• Adjustable bed bases — eligible when the LMN names a condition (acid reflux, sleep apnea, post-surgical recovery) the elevation supports.

• Memory foam pillows — eligible with an LMN naming neck pain or post-surgical recovery.

• Cooling sheets and mattress protectors — typically not eligible alone, but when bundled with an LMN-covered mattress on the same receipt, the bundle reimburses together.

What's not eligible, even with an LMN

• Bed frames as decorative furniture. An adjustable base can be eligible. A static decorative frame is not.

• General bedding (regular sheets, decorative pillows, comforters). Comfort items, not medical.

• Subscription replacements bought outside the LMN window. Once the LMN expires, the next purchase needs a refreshed LMN.

What your LMN needs to say for a mattress

The mattress LMN that gets approved names the specific sleep-related health situation and connects the mattress purchase to it. "Recommended for better sleep" gets denied. "Required for management of chronic low back pain documented by [provider]" gets approved.

Common health situations on mattress LMNs:

• Chronic low back pain or neck pain

• Sleep apnea (especially with adjustable base)

• Fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain

• Post-surgical recovery

• Arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid)

• Sciatica or peripheral neuropathy

• Insomnia tied to a documented context

• Perimenopausal or menopausal sleep disruption (Eight Sleep specifically)

Common mattress FSA/HSA pitfalls

• Submitting the financing receipt. If you finance through Affirm or Klarna, submit the original mattress receipt to your plan admin, not the monthly installments.

• Forgetting the topper. A mattress topper bought alongside the mattress reimburses too on the same LMN.

• Letting the LMN expire before a recurring purchase. If you're switching mattresses or buying a topper after 12 months, refresh the LMN first.

• Buying a frame instead of a base. A medically-justified adjustable base is eligible. A decorative frame is not.

Mattress FSA/HSA FAQ

Are mattresses FSA eligible without an LMN?
No. Mattresses are dual-purpose under IRS rules. The LMN is what creates eligibility.

Can my plan admin deny an LMN-backed mattress reimbursement?
It happens, usually because the LMN is too vague. Burst's clinicians write LMNs in the language plan admins actually approve. If our clinician's LMN gets denied, we work it through with you.

Is Eight Sleep specifically harder to get covered than a regular mattress?
No, the path is the same. Eight Sleep just has a more specific use case (cooling, sleep tracking) which often makes the LMN easier to write because the medical context is clear.

Does the LMN cover the entire mattress price?
The LMN doesn't set a dollar limit. Your reimbursement is the actual mattress receipt, capped only by your FSA or HSA balance.

Can I get an LMN for a mattress I already bought?
Per IRS guidelines, LMNs must be for purchases made on or after the LMN request date. If you're planning to buy soon, get the LMN first.

Is the LMN fee itself FSA/HSA eligible?
Yes.

Stop paying full price for your mattress

If you've got a sleep-impacting condition and you're already paying for a quality mattress, the LMN turns that out-of-pocket spend into a 30% pre-tax savings. Get yours from Burst in under 5 minutes. If our clinician doesn't approve it, you get a full refund.

Request my LMN →

If you're not sure whether your situation fits, hit reply on any Burst email or write to support@getburst.com. We read every email ourselves.

Thanks,
Shubhi
Co-Founder at Burst

For the underlying rules, see IRS Publication 502, IRS Notice 2006-69, and IRS Notice 2007-2.

Last updated: May 2026

This guide is not medical advice. Your eligibility depends on your specific situation and your plan administrator's interpretation of IRS rules. Burst's clinicians make eligibility decisions on a case-by-case basis.