HEWT Flexible Spending Accounts - MSA Human Resources

Flexible Spending Accounts - UnitedHealthcare (Plan# 702637)

As a HEWT plan participant, you are allowed to redirect a portion of your pay through payroll deduction to a Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). The FSAs are managed by UnitedHealthcare. The money is deducted from your pay on a pre-tax basis, which means it is deducted from your pay before Federal and Social Security taxes are calculated. Because you do not pay taxes on the money that goes into your FSA(s), you decrease your taxable income and potentially increase your spendable income.

Each pay period money accumulates in an FSA based on the elections you have made. If you have not used all of the money in your FSA by the end of the plan year, federal law requires that you forfeit the balance. With a Health Care FSA, you can begin to use all or some of the total amount elected as soon as the plan year begins. With a Dependent Care FSA, you will be reimbursed only for dependent care services that you have already funded in your account. If you submit a claim for an amount that exceeds your account balance, you will be reimbursed on a pay period basis until you have made enough additional contributions to cover the expenses Flexible Spending Account

Health Care FSA

You may deposit up to $5,000 per plan year into a Health Care FSA. These pre-tax funds may be used to pay for IRS-allowed health care expenses not covered by your medical and/or dental plans. These expenses include deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, qualified over-the-counter drug costs and vision and hearing care expenses.

Reminder: Beginning January 1, 2011 you may not use your Healthcare FSA to pay for over-the-counter (OTC) medications unless the medication is prescribed by a physician. The following is information related to this change:

Medications include, but are not limited to, medications for pain relief, cough, colds, flu, allergies, diaper rash, etc.
You will not be able to use your Flexible Spending debit card to purchase any OTC medications. You will need to submit a paper claim along with the requested substantiation documents.
Non-drug items are not affected. Reimbursement using the card is still eligible for items such as contact lens solutions, first aid items (bandages, splints, etc.), diabetic supplies, etc.

Dependent Care FSA

You may deposit up to $5,000 per plan year ($2,500 if you are married and both you and your spouse elect the benefit) into a Dependent Care FSA. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, payments to daycare centers, preschool costs (up to, but not including, kindergarten), after school care and elderly care.

Flexible Spending Account Plan Document (PDF)

Flexible Spending Account Summary Plan Description - 2011 (PDF)

Related Links: UnitedHealthcare Website