> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.payment.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Accepting HSA and FSA cards with Stripe - URL: https://blog.payment.co/accepting-hsa-fsa-cards-with-stripe/ - Published: 2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z - Description: HSA and FSA cards work with Stripe, but only if your account has an eligible healthcare MCC. Here's how to set it up. - Author: Ryan Scherf - Tags: Stripe, Payments, HSA, Healthcare HSA and FSA cards are just debit cards, usually running on the Visa or Mastercard network. Stripe can process them like any other card, and so can the Payment app. However, there is one requirement that trips up nearly every healthcare provider the first time: your Stripe account's Merchant Category Code. ##### Why HSA cards get declined Card networks only approve HSA and FSA transactions at merchants coded as healthcare providers. That coding is your Merchant Category Code, or MCC, a four-digit number assigned to every Stripe account. If your MCC says "software" or "professional services" and a customer taps an FSA card, the issuer declines it automatically, no matter how legitimate the medical service is. We covered this class of decline back in our post on tracking down card declines: ##### How do I accept HSA payments with Stripe? The fix is a single account change: 1. Contact Stripe support and ask them to set your account's MCC to an eligible healthcare code 2. Once the MCC is updated, charge HSA and FSA cards in the app like any other card There is no extra hardware, no special integration, and no additional fee. In person or with manual entry, the card processes normally once your account is coded correctly. ##### Which MCC do I need? An eligible healthcare MCC, such as: - **8099** (medical services and health practitioners) - **8011** (physicians) - **8021** (dentists and orthodontists) Stripe support sets the code on your account. If you're unsure which fits your practice, describe what you do and they'll assign the appropriate one. ##### Do I need an IIAS inventory system? Most healthcare providers don't. IIAS (Inventory Information Approval System) applies to retailers like pharmacies and grocery stores that sell a mix of eligible and non-eligible items, and need to verify eligibility line by line. If you sell qualified medical services, therapy, chiropractic, dental work and the like, the right MCC is enough. ##### A note on non-medical charges The restriction works in both directions. If your account carries a healthcare MCC, HSA and FSA cards will approve, but the funds are still legally limited to qualified medical expenses. Selling merchandise alongside services? Take a regular card for the t-shirt. Your customer's HSA administrator can and does audit purchases. Learn more about accepting HSA and FSA payments: [https://paymentforstripe.com/hsa-fsa-medical-expenses](https://paymentforstripe.com/hsa-fsa-medical-expenses?ref=blog.payment.co)