Is Premier Protein HSA/FSA Eligible? Yes, Here's How!

What Is Premier Protein

Premier Protein is the ready-to-drink shake brand with chocolate, vanilla and café-inspired flavors. The bottles and cartons put a measured serving of protein within reach without a scoop, shaker or blender. Its Classic shakes contain 30 grams of protein and 160 calories per serving.

The shake families differ. Ultimate provides 42 grams of protein, while the Almondmilk Non-Dairy line provides 20 grams. Coffeehouse, Indulgence and Minis round out the range. Premier Protein also sells powders, sodas and breakfast products; those are separate formulations from the shakes covered here.

Premier Protein pitches its shakes as a way to jumpstart your day or an on-the-go snack. When a provider recommends extra protein for a health condition, such as age-related muscle loss or a protein shortfall, that same shake becomes part of your medical care. If you're comparing ready-to-drink brands, our Ensure eligibility guide covers that brand's different nutrition formulas.

Why Premier Protein Qualifies for HSA/FSA

Premier Protein shakes qualify when a Letter of Medical Necessity connects their use to a specific health condition. IRS Publication 502 includes the “diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease” in its definition of medical expenses.

Premier Protein shakes are protein supplements, and IRS guidance on nutritional supplements counts them as a medical expense when they are “recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician.” Your letter is where your provider puts that recommendation in writing. The same shake grabbed as an everyday snack is a personal purchase.

Conditions that support that medical purpose include:

• Sarcopenia: This age-related loss of muscle affects strength and physical function. Cleveland Clinic describes increasing protein through food and supplements as one part of care, alongside exercise. A provider can recommend a shake to help meet that protein need.
• Malnutrition involving inadequate protein: Cleveland Clinic explains that undernutrition treatment uses nutritional supplements. A protein shake can be one part of a care plan when protein intake is insufficient.
• Wound healing after surgery or injury: Protein supplies material for tissue repair. Cleveland Clinic's healing nutrition guidance includes protein shakes when a healthcare provider recommends them.

If your provider ties the shakes to another health condition, that counts too.

For the broader supplement rules, see our vitamins and supplements guide. If you'd rather mix your own shakes, see our protein powder eligibility guide.

How to Get Premier Protein Covered With a Letter of Medical Necessity

You have two ways to get a Letter of Medical Necessity for Premier Protein shakes. A licensed provider reviews the medical reason for adding protein and documents it in your letter.

• Through Crates, typically in under 24 hours. Complete the online health assessment in about 2 to 3 minutes. A licensed provider reviews your information and, if you qualify, issues your letter for the shakes. The letter stays valid for 12 months and renews each year.
• Through your own doctor, a few days to a few weeks. Book a visit and explain that you want to use HSA/FSA funds for protein shakes. Ask your doctor to document how protein supplementation helps prevent, manage or reverse your condition, then sign and date the letter. The visit may involve a copay.

How to Buy Premier Protein With HSA/FSA Funds

Get your letter before buying the shakes. You can then purchase from the retailer you prefer and use your receipt to claim the eligible expense.

1. Get your Letter of Medical Necessity first. Use either provider route above.
2. Buy your shakes anywhere. Pay with your personal card, online or in store, and keep the itemized receipt showing the shakes and the amount paid.
3. Get your money back. Crates one-click reimbursement files the claim for you, or upload the letter and receipt yourself. For an HSA, keep both with your tax records.

Paying with pre-tax HSA or FSA money saves up to 30% on your shakes. Your actual savings depend on your tax rates and how you fund the account.

Which Premier Protein Products Qualify

All six current Premier Protein shake families qualify the same way: with an LMN, whatever the flavor, bottle size or protein count.

The formulas do differ in what they're made from. The Chocolate Almondmilk shake uses soy protein and contains almonds, while the Classic Chocolate shake uses milk proteins, so Almondmilk is the line to pick if you skip dairy.