ABC Fitness and Truemed have joined forces in a game-changing collaboration that could help tens of millions of Americans use pre-tax dollars from their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) at nearly 10,000 gyms and studios in the ABC Fitness network across the U.S.

The fitness tech company — the largest in the U.S. — supports more than 31 million gym and studio members. Its new partnership with Truemed, a platform that enables consumers to direct pre-tax funds toward health-related purchases, reinforces its ongoing advocacy for the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. The proposed legislation aims to get more Americans active by lowering financial barriers to physical activity through tax incentives.

“Now, more gyms and studios in the U.S. can provide a more convenient process for members to qualify to use pre-tax funds for their gym memberships, training programs and other qualified services—empowering them to take control of their health in a more affordable way,” ABC Fitness president Khal Rai said.

While the fitness industry continues to show support for the PHIT Act, TrueMed has taken the reins to combat the metabolic health crisis that many Americans are facing. The platform streamlines the process of obtaining a Letter of Medical Necessity, which allows consumers to use pre-tax dollars for everything from fitness equipment to studio memberships.

“At Truemed, we believe that being healthy should be accessible and affordable for everyone,” Truemed founder Justin Mares said. “By teaming up with ABC Fitness, we’re making it easier than ever for qualified Americans to use the money they’ve already set aside for health expenses to invest in their fitness. The future of healthcare is proactive, and fitness is a key part of that equation.”

Since its launch in 2023, Truemed has partnered with leading brands such as Peloton, 24 Hour Fitness, CrossFit, Barry’s, Crunch, Hyperice and AG1. Nutrition and supplement company Shed was added to its network last month.

The post Truemed, ABC Fitness Team To Bring HSA/FSA Savings to Millions appeared first on Athletech News.

Healthcare reform is talked about in the news a lot these days, although it’s often viewed as an unattainable ideal by the media and general public alike. For Truemed, however, it’s already here. 

Founded by health and wellness entrepreneur Justin Mares and reformed former pharma lobbyist Calley Means, Truemed provides a platform that allows consumers to purchase fitness and wellness products including gym memberships, supplements and recovery gear using tax-free Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds.

On a mission to transform Americans’ health by making preventive care more widely available and affordable, Truemed already has partnerships with top fitness and wellness brands including Peloton, CorePower Yoga and Anytime Fitness, to name just a few. 

Mares, who serves as Truemed’s co-founder and CEO, sat down with Athletech News to discuss the rise of HSA/FSA funds in fitness, explain what sets Truemed apart from similar platforms and share his thoughts on what the U.S. government can do to implement meaningful healthcare reform.

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: Can you tell us about your background and why you decided to co-found Truemed? 

Justin Mares: I have a background in founding and scaling health and wellness startups, including Kettle & Fire, Perfect Keto and Surely. I went through my own journey with health and fitness in college, which is when I realized how transformational exercise and nutrition can be for both physical and mental health. The more I learned about the healthcare system, the more I realized the extent to which it’s built around medications and interventions that merely manage illnesses over a long period of time rather than treat them or prevent them from happening in the first place – 97% of medical costs occur after people are already sick.

One of our goals with Truemed was to introduce the idea that fitness, supplements and recovery are effective interventions in the fight against chronic disease, and then streamline the process for qualified customers to use HSA and FSA funds to purchase products and services that prevent or mitigate these conditions. Most people know they can use FSA funds for medical expenses like deductibles, co-pays and prescriptions, but they might be surprised by the broader range of options available. More and more, root-cause interventions like fitness programs, supplements, recovery tools and health technology are being recognized for their power to prevent and manage conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. 

ATN: Are enough Americans aware that HSA/FSA funds exist and that they can use them to purchase fitness and wellness products? If not, what’s the key to wider awareness?  

JM: I think a lot of people are still a bit overwhelmed by the concept, and don’t realize how simple it can be to use HSA/FSA funds for such a wide range of products and services. Part of this is because, prior to a platform like Truemed, the process was much more arduous for these specific types of purchases. Consumers would have to schedule a doctor’s appointment, describe their health history and goals in detail, ask them to fill out a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), pay a fee, and then wait potentially for weeks for their claim to be approved. 

Our goal is that by integrating all of this directly into the payment flow – it’s as easy as clicking “Pay with HSA/FSA” at checkout – people will be able to empower themselves to use pre-tax savings for products that manage chronic diseases but that may not previously have been recognized by medical institutions as preventative medicine. During my time at Truemed, we’ve enabled nearly 200,000 Americans to purchase root-cause items with HSA/FSA funds, and we’re confident that this movement will only continue to grow as more people catch on and realize the potential of what they can access. 

ATN: Truemed already has partnerships with top fitness and wellness brands like Peloton, CorePower Yoga and others. How have you been able to convince these brands to join the HSA/FSA movement?

JM: We’ve been extremely encouraged by how many incredible, consumer-loved brands have joined our mission and embraced Truemed as a core part of their business. One of the ways we’ve been successful in recruiting additional companies is by word of mouth, as brands see how much new business Truemed drives for them – in some cases, as much as 15-20% of new customers are ordering through Truemed. 

We’re also seeing that brands are not only getting more first-time customers through us but also different segments of the population that tend to be more cost-conscious. This is really heartening for us, as it shows that what we’re trying to do is working when it comes to increasing accessibility for consumers who want these products but otherwise may not have been able to purchase them without an HSA/FSA fund.

ATN: A few other HSA/FSA platforms have cropped up recently. What separates Truemed from its competitors?

JM: In addition to being the biggest HSA/FSA telehealth platform and working with the best merchants, we’re also the ones who essentially carved out this space and made it what it is. Our brands also tend to see the best results as far as conversion rates, average order value (AOV) and other metrics in comparison to our competitors.   

ATN: Do bills such as the PHIT Act, which would amend the IRS code to treat physical activity as preventive healthcare covered by allowable HSA/FSA spending, have a realistic chance of being passed? Or is a platform like Truemed a more realistic long-term solution?

JM: We aren’t sure if (PHIT) will pass, but what we do know is that there are a whole class of root-cause chronic disease interventions that are eligible and work today, they just require a doctor to issue an LMN.

ATN: There’s been a lot of speculation around what President Trump may do in his second term regarding healthcare reform. What would you like to see the U.S. government do to help Americans become healthier? 

JM: Several steps need to be taken in order to bolster the health of the American people on a societal level, all of which link back to embracing preventative care rather than sickcare. Due to the current structure of the healthcare system, it’s a lot more profitable for doctors to treat sick patients rather than address root causes and keep people healthy from the start, so the more we can do to reveal some of these corrupt practices, the more individuals will be able to take the power back into their own hands. 

As far as specific policy shifts, some sweeping changes that I’d love to see in the near future include ridding our food supply of dangerous chemicals, pesticides and dyes, eliminating our dependence on ultra-processed foods, and removing conflicts of interest from major institutions. In regard to this last point, many people might not realize that big pharmaceutical companies influence everything from nutritional guidance and research to mainstream news to the medications doctors choose to prescribe. Until we separate these larger entities from one another, patients will continue to be routed toward pharmaceuticals as the only solution, rather than first exploring the impact of lifestyle interventions.  

ATN: What’s your vision for the future of Truemed over the next few years? Could the company expand into other areas besides HSA/FSA payments? 

JM: One of our main goals is to continue partnering with great brands that are passionate about making preventative care more accessible for people trying to mitigate chronic health conditions. It’s been great seeing how many companies have already embraced what we’re trying to do over the past year, and we’re confident that we’ll have many more in the months to come, especially following the announcements of some industry leaders like Peloton, CorePower Yoga and Bioniq.

Moving forward, we hope to continue building on categories that are already represented and expand into others, namely health food options, as well as provide personalized guidance on certain partner brands of ours that could be paired together for optimal impact. 

The post CEO Corner: Truemed’s Justin Mares on HSA/FSA Funds in Fitness appeared first on Athletech News.

More than 60% of goal-setting Americans plan to prioritize their health and fitness this year. Still, according to startling new findings from the Health and Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA), affordability remains a potential barrier.

Let’s start with the good news from the fitness industry advocacy group’s new nationwide survey: many goal-setting Americans are on board with making 2025 the year of building muscle and strength (50%), establishing regular fitness routines (44%) and improving mental health with physical activity (42%). Despite their commitment, however, nearly one-third cited expense as a concern when considering their 2025 health and fitness goals.

“Americans are entering the new year with strong ambitions to improve their health and fitness, but financial strain is a real obstacle for many,” HFA president and CEO Liz Clark said. “This represents both a challenge and an opportunity to explore strategic solutions that can make fitness more accessible to everyone.”

HFA’s recent survey coincides with the group’s new report, Reversing the Physical Inactivity Crisis – Fitness Affordability as Strategic Policy. Produced in collaboration with Portas Consulting, the report highlights how supporting certain policies (like those proposed under the PHIT Act) could do more than ease the cost burden for Americans.

Among the report’s key points are that fitness facility members are almost 50% more likely to meet the World Health Organization’s recommended levels of physical activity and that investing in a ten percent reduction in membership fees could bring 17 million more Americans into the structured fitness fold. Such an adjustment, HFA says, could have a far-reaching impact by helping prevent chronic diseases and saving $12.2 billion in annual healthcare costs. Supportive measures could also stimulate $12.3 billion in consumer spending, create jobs and improve overall life satisfaction, according to HFA’s report.

“Making fitness affordable is not only about helping people meet their personal goals,” Clark continued. “It’s about fostering healthier communities and unlocking the far-reaching societal benefits that come with increased physical activity.”

Other notable findings from HFA reveal the importance of access to fitness facilities, with 88% of respondents indicating that fitness clubs and studios are essential for reaching their goals. To that point, over half (58%) plan to maintain their current memberships, while 23% intend to join a new fitness facility in 2025.

The trade association is set to host The HFA Show 2025 this March in Las Vegas, Nevada, recently announcing former MLB star Alex Rodriguez as its keynote speaker on March 14. New Xponential Fitness CEO Mark King has also been named a keynoter at the event.

The post Affordability Challenges Loom Over Americans’ Fitness Ambitions appeared first on Athletech News.