Most medical provider offices don't have to do anything to take HSA/FSA cards. Stripe automatically recognizes many businesses as medical providers and enables HSA/FSA acceptance as part of their standard credit card processing.
💡 Important: Stripe has full control over whether your account can accept HSA/FSA cards. AcuBliss cannot enable or change this on our end — all HSA/FSA permissions are managed entirely by Stripe. Everything must go through them directly.
How Stripe Controls HSA/FSA Acceptance
Stripe reviews each account to determine eligibility for HSA/FSA processing. As part of this review process, they may:
Audit your account — Stripe may review your business type, website content, and services at any time to verify eligibility.
Request your medical license — They may ask you to submit a copy of your professional or medical license to confirm you are a licensed healthcare provider.
Deny your request — Stripe reserves the right to decline HSA/FSA acceptance if your account setup, website, or listed services don't clearly reflect a medical practice.
If You Can't Accept HSA/FSA Cards — Contact Stripe Directly
Since HSA/FSA eligibility is entirely in Stripe's hands, you'll need to reach out to them directly. Log in to your Stripe account and visit this Stripe support page, then click the link to "reach out to Stripe."
⚠️ Heads up: Stripe's customer support can be slow and difficult to navigate. You may need to follow up more than once. Be patient and persistent — it's worth it.
What to Say to Stripe
When you contact Stripe, be clear and direct about who you are and what you need. Here's language that works well:
Start with: "I am a medical provider. Here is a copy of my medical license."
Explain clearly that you want to accept HSA/FSA cards as a licensed healthcare provider.
Provide context about your practice — your specialty, the types of services you offer, and that they are legitimate medical treatments.
If needed, ask Stripe to update your Merchant Category Code (MCC) to the correct code for your specialty (see below).
Merchant Category Code (MCC) for Acupuncturists
Your MCC tells Stripe — and the card networks — what type of business you are. Having the correct MCC is critical for HSA/FSA card acceptance to work at checkout.
MCC 8099 — "Medical Services and Health Practitioners, Not Elsewhere Classified" — This is the primary MCC for acupuncturists and similar integrative or holistic health practitioners.
If your Stripe account is registered under a different or incorrect MCC, HSA/FSA cards may be declined even if your account is otherwise in good standing. You can specifically ask Stripe to update your MCC to 8099.
Tips to Avoid HSA/FSA Issues
Remove cannabis-related wording from your website — Any mention of cannabis can lead Stripe to restrict or block HSA/FSA acceptance on your account.
Be careful with spa or sauna services — If you offer non-medical services like sauna or spa treatments, Stripe may have concerns. Make sure your website clearly separates medical care from elective wellness offerings.
If you run into trouble, reach out to us — but keep in mind that HSA/FSA acceptance is fully in Stripe's control, so we'll need to point you their way. We're always happy to help you prepare what to say! ✨