Health Benefits - Flex (FSA)

Health Benefits - Flex (FSA)

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an account that allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified healthcare or dependent day care expenses.  The plan is administered by the P&A Group.  There are two types of Flexible Spending Accounts, a Health care account and a Dependent Day Care Account.  The Healthcare account allows you to pay for eligible healthcare expenses for yourself, spouse, and/or dependent children.  You and your dependents do not need to be enrolled in the State health plan to participate in an FSA. The Healthcare FSA may be used for your out-of-pocket healthcare expenses not paid for by insurance, such as deductibles, co-pays or co-insurance for eligible medical, prescription, dental and vision services.  Certain over-the-counter items are also eligible. 

Refer to the Benefits Guide for additional information as well as a sample list of qualifying over-the-counter items.  You may contribute between $120 to $2,600 each plan year.  The IRS does not allow funds to roll over from one plan year to the next, so plan carefully when deciding how much to contribute.  For convenience, the Healthcare FSA does provide a Debit Card. 

The Dependent Day Care FSA covers dependent day care expenses for dependent children under the age of 13, or a person of any age whom you claim as a dependent on your federal income tax return and who is mentally or physically incapable of self-care.  Care may be provided inside or outside of your home, and may include things like day care, before-and-after-school programs, summer day camp, and pre-school tuition.  You may contribute between $120-$5,000 each plan year.  As with the Healthcare account, the IRS does not allow funds to roll over from one plan year to the next, so plan carefully when deciding how much to contribute.  Refer to the Benefits Guide for additional information as well as the process for claims reimbursement, and claim submission deadlines.