Flexible Benefits

Annual Flex Benefits Open Enrollment
Don’t miss out — you must enroll to enjoy health and dependent care account benefits.

Flex Benefits — maximize your savings with an employee reimbursement account
You can maximize your savings with pre-tax spending accounts for your health and dependent care expenses. Because you don’t pay taxes on these accounts, you can save a lot on everyday costs.

For more information visit Optum Financial

A Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) is a great tool for helping you manage your health care budget. With an HCRA, you have the ability to contribute pre-tax dollars (up to a maximum annual contribution) to pay for eligible medical expenses including prescriptions, doctor’s office copays, health insurance deductibles, coinsurance, some over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and much more. As an added benefit, the Flexible Employees’ Benefits Board provides a $50.00 credit to any member who enrolls in the HCRA with a minimum annual contribution of $120.00

How does the HCRA account work?
During open enrollment, you will decide how much to contribute to your HCRA via payroll deductions for the upcoming year. While enrolling online, you will elect the Per Pay Period Amount, which will be deducted from your paycheck monthly or twice a month (depending on your pay schedule) and the deduction is made before taxes are withheld. This amount will be deposited into your HCRA. There are no user fees associated with this account.
When you incur out-of-pocket eligible health care expenses, you will be reimbursed from your HCRA. When your claim is submitted to Optum Financial they will reimburse you for your out-of-pocket expenses according to your HCRA plan.

How are you reimbursed under the HCRA?
There are 2 methods of reimbursement under the HCRA.

  • Flexible Spending Card
    The Flexible Spending Card utilizes the Visa network. If your doctor, dentist or hospital accepts Visa as payment, then you can “swipe” your copays and deductibles. You must save all receipts and validate purchases for items such as glasses and contacts by submitting the receipts. The IRS requires that Optum Financial validate each Flexible Spending Card transaction. If Optum Financial cannot substantiate a charge by reviewing your health claims file then they will send you correspondence asking for the receipt. You are required to provide receipts when you are asked. Failure to provide a receipt or provide a receipt in a timely manner will result in the deactivation of your Flexible Spending Card and the funds in your HCRA will not be available to you until you reimburse the amount in question to your account. While this method of reimbursement is popular, it is not for everybody.
  • Manual Method of Reimbursement
    This method of reimbursement is mandatory if you are covered under a second insurance plan other than the State Employees’ Health Insurance Plan. Under this plan, you must attach your receipts for out-of-pocket expenses to a claim form that can be mailed or faxed to Optum Financial for reimbursement. This method allows the secondary insurance to pay and then you file any amount that is left over. This method is also used by employees who are saving their contribution amount for one particular procedure.

For more information visit Optum Financial

The DCRA allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars (up to a maximum annual contribution) for eligible dependent care expenses. Every dollar you set aside in your account reduces how much you pay in income taxes. The money in the DCRA account can be used to reimburse expenses associated with the care of your children or other dependents while you (and your spouse) work or attend school full-time.

How does the DCRA work?
During open enrollment, you will decide how much to contribute to your DCRA via payroll deductions for the upcoming year. While enrolling online, you will elect the Per Pay Period Amount, which will be deducted from your paycheck monthly or twice a month (depending on your pay schedule) and the deduction is made before taxes are withheld. This amount will be deposited into your DCRA.

When you incur and pay for eligible dependent care expenses, you will be reimbursed from your DCRA after you file a claim. Reimbursements from the DCRA cannot exceed the amount deposited in your account at the time your reimbursement is processed.

For more information visit Optum Financial