Spine surgery is qualified medical care under IRS rules and is eligible for HSA and FSA spending. Our published bundled pricing — $15,000 lumbar, $16,000 cervical, $6,000 percutaneous (2026) — makes it straightforward to plan exactly how much to set aside.
HSA and FSA basics
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) let you set aside pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses. HSAs require pairing with a high-deductible health plan; FSAs are typically employer-offered without that requirement. Both reduce your taxable income — meaning the actual cost of a covered medical expense is effectively reduced by your tax rate.For an expense that runs in the thousands, the tax savings are meaningful. A patient in the 24% federal bracket paying for a $15,000 procedure with HSA funds effectively saves the federal tax on that amount (plus, in most cases, state tax and FICA on FSA contributions). The savings can run several thousand dollars.
Why bundled pricing helps
The challenge with using HSA or FSA funds for unpredictable medical bills is the unpredictability. When you don’t know what the procedure will cost, planning how much to set aside is guesswork. Our bundled pricing — surgeon, anesthesia, facility, post-op follow-up, all in one number — makes the planning straightforward.For HSAs, this means you can contribute confidently knowing what the upcoming procedure will require. For FSAs, where unused funds may be lost at year-end, the certainty matters even more: contribute the bundle amount, use the funds for the procedure, no guessing.
What's eligible
IRS Publication 502 identifies surgery as a qualified medical expense. The surgeon’s fee, the anesthesia fee, the facility fee, follow-up visits, prescribed medications, and physical therapy as prescribed are all eligible. Pre-op imaging is eligible. Travel for medical care has specific rules under §213(d) and is often partially eligible.What isn’t eligible: cosmetic procedures, general wellness expenses without a medical condition, and most over-the-counter items without a doctor’s prescription. The IRS guidance is detailed; consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Send your MRI for a free review
Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally. You get a candid answer about candidacy before any travel or scheduling.
What the consultation actually looks like
The initial visit with Dr. McMillan focuses on what your imaging actually shows and what your symptoms are telling us — independent of what you’ve been told previously. The $250 consultation fee covers his time to review your MRI personally and give you a candid evaluation. Most patients leave the visit with a clear answer: either you’re a candidate for the endoscopic approach (and we discuss what that would involve in your specific case), or you’re not (and we tell you why, and what we would suggest instead). No high-pressure scheduling, no surprise add-ons.
For patients traveling from outside the Upstate, the consultation can usually be coordinated with the procedure to minimize travel. A typical out-of-town pathway is: send your MRI for the free review, have a phone or video conversation with Dr. McMillan after his review, and travel for a single combined visit-and-procedure schedule when you decide to move forward. The office handles the logistics — lodging recommendations, transportation guidance, and post-op coordination with your local primary care physician.
If you have been told you need a fusion and you are not sure, or if you have been managing this with conservative care that has stopped working, the next step is the free MRI review. There is no obligation and no cost to send your scan. Dr. McMillan reviews each one personally. The response will tell you plainly whether the endoscopic approach fits your specific anatomy, or whether your situation calls for a different plan.
Practical steps
Pull your HSA or FSA balance and confirm what’s available for the year. Compare it against the bundled procedure price and the modest non-bundle items (labs, any additional imaging). If you have funding available, you can typically pay the office directly with your HSA debit card or arrange reimbursement through your account administrator. Keep receipts; the IRS may request documentation.If you don’t have enough in the account yet, increasing future contributions or pairing HSA funds with cash pay for the balance are both options. The office can provide an itemized invoice for any account documentation requirements.
Bottom line
Spine surgery is qualified medical care under IRS rules and is eligible for HSA and FSA spending. Our published bundled pricing — $15,000 lumbar, $16,000 cervical, $6,000 percutaneous (2026) — makes it straightforward to plan exactly how much to set aside.
If you’ve been told you need a fusion — or you’re trying to avoid one — a free MRI review is the most useful next step. Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally and tells you candidly whether the endoscopic approach fits your specific anatomy.
For patients dealing with HSA spine surgery, the conversation comes down to specifics: what your imaging actually shows, what your symptoms are actually telling us, and which procedure (if any) genuinely matches that pattern. The candid answer is sometimes that you do not need surgery yet; the candid answer is sometimes that you do, but a smaller operation than the one you have been quoted. A second-opinion MRI review separates those cases and gives you the information you need to make the decision well.
How Synergy structures pricing — and why it matters for hsa spine surgery
The pricing model at Synergy Spine Center exists because the U.S. spine surgery market historically operates without it. A patient quoted “between $80,000 and $150,000” for a fusion by a hospital surgeon learns the actual number — surgeon, facility, anesthesia, implants, post-op — only after surgery, often via four or five separate invoices arriving over six months. Synergy publishes its 2026 procedural rates on the site at /spine-surgery-cost-transparent-pricing/ precisely so patients can plan financially before scheduling.
For patients researching hsa spine surgery specifically, the practical implication is that the price you see at the point of endoscopic discectomy consultation is the price you pay. Bundled cash pricing covers surgeon time, facility use, anesthesia, and routine post-operative follow-up. There are no separate invoices from the anesthesiologist, no facility fee added by a hospital, and no surprise billing from out-of-network providers because the practice does not contract with any out-of-network providers as part of routine procedures. For comparison context, the spine surgery cash pay page covers how this approach fits the broader pricing picture across spine surgery.
Financial planning begins with the free MRI review, which establishes candidacy before any financial commitment. Patients who are candidates receive a written assessment that includes the specific procedure recommended and the corresponding bundled price. Patients who are not candidates are told that directly, with referral guidance — the review is screening, not sales. Out-of-town patients should also review the 3-day plan and medical travel cost page to estimate total trip expenses. For broader background on healthcare price transparency policy, IRS Publication 502 — Medical & Dental Expenses provides regulatory and consumer guidance.
Frequently asked
Is spine surgery HSA-eligible?
Yes. Medically necessary surgery is qualified medical care under IRS Publication 502, and the relevant fees — surgeon, anesthesia, facility, follow-up — are HSA/FSA-eligible expenses. Out-of-town patients should also review the 3-day plan and the medical travel cost page to estimate full trip cost beyond the procedural fee.
Can I use my HSA for the consultation fee?
Yes. The initial consultation is a medical expense and is HSA-eligible. The $250 consultation fee is credited toward the procedure if you proceed. Detailed price information for the most relevant procedure is at the endoscopic discectomy page, where 2026 bundled rates are published openly.
What about travel costs?
Medical travel has specific IRS rules under §213(d). Transportation primarily for medical care is often partially eligible. Lodging during medical care has stricter limits. Consult IRS guidance or a tax professional for specifics. For a personalized price quote tied to your specific diagnosis, submit your imaging through the free MRI review — you’ll receive the bundled price for the specific recommended procedure along with candidacy assessment.
Will the office bill my HSA directly?
Most HSAs come with a debit card you can use at the time of service. Alternatively, you can pay and request reimbursement from your account administrator with the office invoice. Out-of-town patients should also review the 3-day plan and the medical travel cost page to estimate full trip cost beyond the procedural fee.
What if my HSA balance isn't enough?
Several options: increase future contributions if there’s time before the procedure, combine HSA funds with cash pay for the balance, or use third-party financing. The office can structure the arrangement to fit. For broader context on how Synergy’s approach compares with traditional pricing, the spine surgery cash pay page provides additional comparison.
Do I need pre-authorization for HSA use?
No. HSAs are your funds; the use is documented for IRS purposes but doesn’t require approval from the account administrator. Keep documentation in case of an IRS inquiry. Detailed price information for the most relevant procedure is at the endoscopic discectomy page, where 2026 bundled rates are published openly.
How this page was prepared
This page summarizes the clinical approach taken at Synergy Spine Center for the topic above. It is based on peer-reviewed literature, professional society guidelines (NASS, AAOS), federal patient education resources (NIH, AHRQ, CMS), and Dr. McMillan’s experience as Director of Spinal Medicine and Endoscopic Spinal Surgery. Outcome language is qualified. Individual results vary. Pricing where shown is current for 2026 and may change.
References
- IRS Publication 502 — medical and dental expenses. — source
- CMS Hospital Price Transparency. — source
- OrthoInfo — financial considerations for spine care. — source
- IRS Publication 502 — Medical & Dental Expenses — authoritative reference on hsa spine surgery.
- IRS Publication 969 — Health Savings Accounts — authoritative reference on hsa spine surgery.
Synergy Spine Center publishes patient education content for general information only; it is not medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. For specific medical guidance, schedule a consultation. No identifiable patient information is included on this page.