Anyone used insurance for fitness testing?

McCloud33

I currently have a High Deductible Plan (HDP) and and Health Savings Account (HSA) for my insurance. The HSA portion is basically an IRS account where they say what the money can be used for (which is alot). http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/

I'd like to get some testing done (Hydrostatic weighing for BF%, V02 max with lactate levels and Resting Metabolic Rate(RMR)), but don't know if I could use my HSA for it.

I would contend that it falls under "physical examination".

Has anyone tried this before? Do you have to have your doctor "prescribe" it before going to have the test done?

lchadwick3

Each plan will be different so you'll have to approach your insurance company and get preapproved for this procedure. It's the only way to know for sure.

McCloud33

HSA isn't an insurance plan per say though...it's actually an IRS plan. The government dictates what you can use the money on and it's pretty comprehensive, but I'm just not sure what category the tests would fall under.

spfldpam

Probably depends on the medical coding they attach to it since all procedures have codes and insurance co or irs plan will go by that.
Have you checked out local universities for the testing? I got a full body scan done at a state university a couple years ago to get % of body fat and it only cost me $50. It was at a University that has classes for people wanted to be trainers and in the studies of excerise and stuff like that. The actual professor did the scan. No one in my current city offered the test so that is why I drove about 60 miles south of town to have it done. I can't think of the test name now. Sorry! It broke down all parts of my body with the amount of weight and body fat and bone density too. It was worth the $50 out of my own pocket to have it done.

McCloud33

HSA's are still "relatively" new so I know not everyone understands them, but there's no "coding" or anything. It doesn't get reported to your insurance company and it only matter to the IRS if you get audited. It's basically just a savings account that you can use to pay for "medical" expenses. Some of the IRS qualifying expense include acupuncture, bandages, birth control pills, body scan, breast pumps/supplies, chiropractor, eye exam, eye glasses...the list just keeps going. I was just wondering if anyone had done what I'm doing before.

I am actually trying to do it at the local college. It's $45 for the Hydro BF analysis, $100 for the VO2, and $45 for the Resting Metabolism. I could pay out of pocket, but if I can use my health money, I could find other things to spend that $200 on.

spfldpam

Just remember what I had done at the University. It was a DEXA scan.


quote="spfldpam;30992603"]Probably depends on the medical coding they attach to it since all procedures have codes and insurance co or irs plan will go by that.
Have you checked out local universities for the testing? I got a full body scan done at a state university a couple years ago to get % of body fat and it only cost me $50. It was at a University that has classes for people wanted to be trainers and in the studies of excerise and stuff like that. The actual professor did the scan. No one in my current city offered the test so that is why I drove about 60 miles south of town to have it done. I can't think of the test name now. Sorry! It broke down all parts of my body with the amount of weight and body fat and bone density too. It was worth the $50 out of my own pocket to have it done.[/quote]

dander1428

I'm wondering what the final resolution was on this? Did the OP use the HSA account? I'm also wondering whether I can use HSA for VO2 and lactate threshold?
Thanks!!

mutantspicy

Curious myself on this as I have a similar plan.