Flexible Spending Accounts

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    Claims Fax: (866) 557-0109
    Claims Email: Claims@rmrbenefits.com  

     

    Colorado Springs School District 11 offers employees the ability to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Through your FSA, the plan keeps track of the amount of money you set aside for the plan year to cover qualified medical and dependent day care expenses that may occur during the plan year.

    The annual amount you elect to set aside is prorated for each pay period and subtracted from your wages on a pre-tax basis.

    Under our 125 Flexible Spending Account, employees can elect to pay for certain medical and dependent care expenses with before (pre) tax dollars. This can save you taxes on expenses that would otherwise not be available. 
     
    Be prepared to substantiate any of your expenses as this is a requirement of the IRS rules.  Be sure to get receipts for your services, if possible at the time of visit, so that your claim reimbursements are not put on hold. A cash register receipt is not acceptable. 

    Enrollment for this plan occurs annually at Open Enrollment, scheduled in April.  Your election amount is for a full twelve months. The plan year is July 1, through June 30th.

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    MEDICAL FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUT (FSA)

    What is a Medical Flexible Spending Account? 

     

     

    If you contribute to a health care FSA, you may pay for out of pocket medical, dental and vision expenses incurred by you and your dependents with pre-tax dollars. Out of pocket health care expenses are your family's health care expenses not covered or not reimbursed by the health plan or under any health plan. In general, these expenses are any health care costs for you and your dependents that the IRS allows you to deduct for tax purposes and that are not claimed as deductions on your tax return.

    Some of the expenses that qualify for reimbursement from your health care FSA include:

    • Group health plan deductibles and copayments 
    • General non-reimbursed health and physician charges
    • Well child care
    • Dental and orthodontic care, unless performed strictly for cosmetic purposes
    • Vision care (exams, glasses, contacts)
    • Hearing aids and batteries

    CLICK HERE for a list of other covered expenses.


  • DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNT

    What is a Dependent Care Account?

     

     

    DCAP stands for Dependent Care Assistance Program and is also a Flexible Spending Account. An employee can use a DCAP to be reimbursed for employment-related expenses that allow the employee and his or her spouse to be “gainfully employed.” Employment-related expenses apply only to certain individuals. 

    A cafeteria plan lets participants elect coverage under a DCAP with an annual limit of up to $5,000. They pay for that coverage with pre-tax salary reduction dollars. At the end of each month, the DCAP reimburses the dependent care expenses that occurred during the month. Assume that Jane elects the full $5,000 of coverage. She must reduce her taxable wages by $5,000 (the annual premium) to pay for the coverage. By participating in the DCAP, Jane would achieve tax savings but subject to additional factors that affect the calculation of the tax savings.

    Important features of the plan:

    DCAPs are not front loaded like a typical FSA, which means that the available funds will grow as contributions are made throughout the plan year. Not all daycare providers accept benefits cards, some expenses will have to be paid out of pocket and then reimbursed through a claim.

    Who qualifies as a “dependent” for which the funds can be used? DCAP expenses could consist of having a babysitter or day-care provider take care of an employee’s child (under the age of 13) while Mom and Dad are both working, or taking care of a spouse or other tax dependent who lives with the employee and is incapable of self-care.

    Some services will not qualify, such as overnight camps.

     


    HOW TO ACCESS MY FUNDS

    Option 1: Debit Card

    Rocky Mountain Reserve offers qualifying participants the option of using a benefits card to pay for qualifying medical expenses. Using the benefits card has a ton of benefits:

    • Easy to use- the Benefits Card is a stored-value card that simplifies the process of paying for qualified expenses.

    • Works at most healthcare-related merchants where MasterCard is accepted.

    • You spend only the pre-tax dollars in your healthcare FSA.

    • It pays directly at the point of sale - No waiting for reimbursement!

    • You can use it to pay for online mail-order prescriptions.

    No Receipt Retailers

    When you use your benefits card at an eligible merchant that has installed an inventory information approval system (IIAS), there will not be a need to substantiate the transaction with a receipt. IIAS ensures that you can only use the card for eligible items, and does away with the need to submit receipts* for verification after the purchase because the item has been verified at the check-out counter. Hundreds of retailers have installed this system and many more are joining all the time. Cllick on the "IIAS Merchant List" on the right. Please note: the debit card cannot be used to pay for over-the-counter drugs. Below is a sample of some of the retailers who have installed the IIAS system:

    • 1-800 Contacts

    • Albertsons

    • City Market

    • Costco

    • CVS

    • Drugstore.com

    • King Soopers

    • Kroger

    • Rite Aid

    • Safeway

    • Sam’s Club

    • Target

    • Walgreens

    • Wal-Mart

    • VisionDirect.com

    *It is recommended that participants retain a copy of all receipts for their own records

    Save All Receipts For Purchases Made With A Benefits Card

    Please remember to keep receipts for all purchases made with the Benefits Card. Per IRS regulations, Rocky Mountain Reserve may be required to request itemized receipts to verify the eligibility of purchases made with the card.

    • All receipts or other proofs of purchase must include the date of service, name of the provider, dollar amount, and a description of the purchased service or product.

    • Any receipt that does not contain the detailed information described above is not acceptable. Credit card receipts and canceled checks are not acceptable.

    • If the requested receipt is lost or otherwise unavailable, most providers can provide a detailed statement documenting FSA eligible purchases. Explanation of Benefits (EOB’s) is recommended receipts. 

    • We will have to request a receipt UNLESS the transaction matches a co-payment, a previously approved repetitive expense, or was at a merchant that has installed the Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS) referenced above.

    • If a receipt is requested, Rocky Mountain Reserve will email a request within hours. Participants can mail, fax, email, or upload the receipt online.

    Option 2: Reimbursement

    In the event that you are purchasing qualified items but the retailer from whom you are making the purchase is not an authorized retailer, you can still have access to your funds. You simply will pay for the item out-of-pocket, and submit a claim for reimbursement. Submitting a claim for reimbursement is quick and easy. Simply fill out our claim form, and send it in to us with any associated receipts from your purchase. You can send your claim via your acount or email, fax, or mail. 

    There are two options for being reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. 

    • Check - If we do not have your direct deposit authorization on file, we will default to reimbursement via check. The check will be sent to the address that we receive from your employer.

    • Direct Deposit - You have the option of authorizing Rocky Mountain Reserve to reimburse you via direct deposit. Click here to find a direct deposit form. Send this form in to us via email, mail, or fax. Click here for our contact information.  

  • How much should I place in to my flex plans? click on the expense worksheet below to help with your elections. 

    Health Care FSA Expense Planning Worksheet


    Here is an example of your flex card:

    BenefitsCard


    Tips for managing your healthcare finances: how can I get better value for my healthcare dollars?


    How much should I be saving for healthcare? 


    What items are eligible? 


    How does my debit card work?


     How do I register for Direct Deposit? 


    How do I complete my profile? 


    How do I enroll in text alerts?  


    How do I check my balance? 


    How do I file a claim? 


     How do I download the mobile app? 


    How do I pay a bill?