Hi, I'm Shubhi, one of the co-founders of Burst. This guide is for people managing depression, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, or related conditions, and the products they buy to help.

A lot of people I talk to who manage depression or anxiety have spent on SAD lamps, weighted blankets, meditation app subscriptions, supplements, sleep tools, and wearables, and didn't realize any of it was FSA/HSA eligible. The category is broader than people think, and the LMN is what unlocks most of it. I'd rather you not pay out-of-pocket for things your FSA/HSA would cover.

Below is a quick walkthrough of what qualifies, how Letters of Medical Necessity work, and how Burst handles the hard part.

What FSA/HSA actually covers for depression and anxiety

The IRS standard is "products used to treat, mitigate, or alleviate a specific medical condition." Depression, anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, and seasonal affective disorder are all recognized conditions. So products that support managing them qualify, even when those products are sold as wellness, lifestyle, or sleep gear.

The piece that trips people up is documentation. Without a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), your FSA/HSA administrator will reject claims for categories like meditation app subscriptions, supplements, sleep tools, and wearables. With an LMN that names your condition, those same purchases become reimbursable.

A couple of things worth knowing. The fee for the Burst LMN request is itself FSA/HSA eligible, so you can pay for it with your FSA/HSA card. And if our clinician decides your situation doesn't qualify, you get a full refund.

Categories of depression and anxiety products often eligible with an LMN

These are the categories I see most often in real Burst LMN requests for depression, anxiety, and related mental health conditions. Brands are illustrative, not endorsements, not affiliate.

SAD lamps and light therapy

Light therapy lamps (Verilux Happy Light, Carex Day-Light, Northern Light Technologies, Circadian Optics) are heavily used for seasonal affective disorder and for non-seasonal depression where light exposure helps regulate mood and circadian rhythm. With an LMN that names depression or SAD, they're reimbursable. Light therapy is one of the highest-confidence LMN categories because the clinical evidence is strong and well-known to administrators.

You can buy these at Amazon, Costco, Best Buy, or directly from the brand. The LMN works the same.

Weighted blankets

Weighted blankets (Gravity, Bearaby, YnM, Luna, Quility) are FSA/HSA eligible with an LMN naming anxiety, depression, insomnia, sensory processing differences, or PTSD as the condition. Bearaby's open-weave knit version is one I see often in LMN requests. The category covers cooling weighted blankets, knit weighted blankets, and weighted lap pads.

Meditation and mental health app subscriptions

App subscriptions are one of the categories most people don't realize qualifies. Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer (Premium), Balance, Waking Up, and structured CBT apps (Woebot, Sanvello) can be reimbursed with an LMN that names depression or anxiety. Annual subscriptions are usually a cleaner reimbursement than monthly.

Breathwork devices

Breathwork and HRV biofeedback devices (Moonbird, Resperate, Lief Therapeutics) are eligible with an LMN. Moonbird in particular shows up frequently in Burst LMN requests for anxiety. The category is small but high-value, since the devices price in the $150 to $300 range.

Magnesium, omega-3, vitamin D, and other supplements

Magnesium glycinate (for sleep and anxiety), omega-3 EPA/DHA (for mood), vitamin D (for SAD-adjacent depression), L-theanine, ashwagandha, saffron extract, and B-complex are commonly used. None of them are FSA/HSA eligible by default. With an LMN that names depression or anxiety, they all become reimbursable.

Sleep tools

Sleep is woven into almost every depression and anxiety management plan. White-noise machines (Hatch, LectroFan, Yogasleep), sleep masks (Manta, Nidra, Drowsy), sound machines, and sleep-specific supplements often qualify with an LMN. Cooling sleep products (Chilipad, BedJet) are also eligible when sleep dysregulation is part of the picture.

Wearables for sleep and HRV

Sleep tracking wearables (Oura Ring, Whoop, Apple Watch, Fitbit Sense) and HRV-focused trackers are eligible with an LMN that names depression, anxiety, or a sleep-related condition. The Oura Ring has a deeper guide if you want a single-product walkthrough: see Letter of Medical Necessity for Oura Ring & Wearable Health Devices.

Sound machines and sensory tools

Sound machines, white-noise machines, fidget tools, and other sensory regulation aids qualify with an LMN. The category overlaps with anxiety and ADHD management. With the LMN naming the underlying condition, the products are reimbursable.

How Burst gets you reimbursed (3 steps)

Step 1: Request an LMN at app.getburst.com/request-lmn

Under 5 minutes. List the products. Describe your condition (depression, anxiety, SAD, panic, PTSD, OCD). Submit.

Step 2: A Burst clinician reviews and signs

Most LMN requests are reviewed in under 24 hours. A licensed clinician on our network reviews. If your situation qualifies, you get the signed LMN. If it doesn't, you get a full refund.

Step 3: File the LMN with your administrator

Log into your administrator (HealthEquity, Optum Financial, WEX, Inspira, Lively). Upload the LMN plus your receipt. Submit. Reimbursement usually lands in a week or two.

If you're new to filing, the Burst team wrote a step-by-step walkthrough: How to file your LMN for reimbursement.

We don't care which brand or store you buy from. The LMN covers the product, not the storefront.

One LMN, 12 months, any store

A single LMN from Burst covers that product for 12 months. Approved once, you can keep buying the same Calm subscription, the same magnesium, the same SAD lamp bulbs, all year, and keep using your FSA/HSA for them.

People I talk to who manage depression or anxiety tend to shop across many places: Amazon for the supplements, the App Store for Calm, the brand site for the lamp, Costco for the blanket. The LMN doesn't care where you bought. It cares about the product and the condition.

FAQ

Is a SAD lamp FSA eligible?
Yes, with a Letter of Medical Necessity. Light therapy lamps for seasonal affective disorder or depression are FSA/HSA eligible when the LMN names the condition the lamp is being used to treat.

Are weighted blankets FSA eligible?
Yes, with an LMN. Weighted blankets for anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, or sensory regulation are reimbursable when the LMN names the underlying condition. Without an LMN, weighted blankets are usually rejected as a comfort or sleep product.

Is the Calm app FSA eligible? What about Headspace?
Yes, with an LMN. Meditation and mental health app subscriptions (Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer Premium, Balance, Waking Up) qualify when the LMN names depression, anxiety, or a related condition. Annual subscriptions usually file more cleanly than monthly.

Are mental health supplements (magnesium, omega-3, ashwagandha) FSA eligible?
Supplements are FSA/HSA eligible only with an LMN. Without one, your administrator will reject the claim. With an LMN naming depression, anxiety, or a related condition, the same purchase is reimbursable.

What about therapy or therapy apps that aren't medication?
Therapy with a licensed provider is FSA/HSA eligible without an LMN. Therapy apps that connect you with licensed providers (BetterHelp, Talkspace) are eligible, generally without an LMN. Self-guided meditation and CBT apps need an LMN.

Can I use my FSA card directly, or do I have to file for reimbursement?
Either works. Most LMN-eligible mental health purchases (supplements, app subscriptions, devices) are pay-out-of-pocket and file-for-reimbursement. The LMN attached to your receipt is what makes it reimbursable.

What if my administrator rejects the claim?
Reply with the LMN PDF and your receipt. If they still reject, email support@getburst.com and we'll help you appeal.

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

Stop paying out-of-pocket for things that help

If you're managing depression or anxiety and shopping across multiple brands or stores for things that help, I'd rather you stop paying out-of-pocket for purchases your FSA/HSA would cover. Get an LMN 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 something specific qualifies, hit reply on any Burst email or write to support@getburst.com. I read every email myself. I'd rather sanity-check for you up front than have you guess.

Thanks,
Shubhi
Co-founder at Burst