Is Abreva 10% Docosanol Cold Sore Treatment Cream HSA or FSA Eligible?

OTC docosanol antiviral drug products for cold sores are qualified medical expenses under the CARES Act of 2020.

The full list of qualified medical expenses is defined in IRS Publication 502, updated annually. The CARES Act of 2020 expanded eligibility to include all OTC medicines and menstrual care products.

1. Purchase Abreva 10% Docosanol Cold Sore Treatment Cream directly with your HSA or FSA debit card — no pre-approval needed.
2. Alternatively, pay out of pocket and submit the receipt for reimbursement through your plan's portal or app.
3. Keep your receipt. If your card is declined (auto-substantiation failure), you can manually submit the receipt.
4. Save receipts for 7 years in case of an IRS audit.