Health Care Claims & Reimbursements

Q:  What are examples of eligible health care expenses?
You can pay for a wide variety of health care expenses through your pre-tax FSA account. Please see our Sample Covered Expenses page for a detailed listing of eligible expenses.

Q: Is the deductible on my major medical plan eligible for reimbursement?
Yes, however, you must submit the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement from your healthcare plan which indicates when the deductible was met and verifies that expenses were incurred during the plan year. IMS cannot accept a statement that only indicates that the deductible has been met.

Q: How do I file a claim for expenses that are covered by insurance?
The claim must first be filed with the healthcare plan. After you receive an Explanation of Benefits statement indicating which expenses are eligible for payment and which are not, then submit a copy of the EOB with an FSA claim form to Interactive Medical Systems.

Q: How do I file a claim for expenses not covered by insurance?
If you are requesting reimbursement for expenses for which you do not have insurance coverage such as dental, vision, or hearing, simply submit a copy of the bill or receipt with an FSA claim form. The receipt should indicate the date of the services, the services provided, and charges.
 
Q:  What happens to the funds I set aside?
If you participate in both the healthcare and dependent care FSAs, the funds you set aside are deposited into two separate accounts -- one for out-of-pocket eligible health care expenses and one for dependent care expenses. The money allocated for your Health Care Spending Account is available for immediate reimbursement up to your annual election amount. Dependent Care Spending Account dollars are reimbursed as they accumulate in your account; simply submit the required documentation. You cannot transfer or "borrow" funds from one account to the other.

Q: What happens if there is money left in my account at the end of the year and I have no more reimbursable expenses?
Under IRS regulations, the money in your account will be forfeited and will be used to pay for administration costs of this Plan. This is known as the "use it or lose it" feature of an FSA. For this reason, you need to make conservative estimates of your reimbursable expenses prior to each plan year. You have a grace period at the end of each plan year in which to file claims for expenses incurred during the plan year.  Note: An expense is “incurred” when the participant is provided with the medical care that gives rise to the medical expenses, or provided with the dependent care services and not when the participant is formally billed or charged for, or pays for, the medical care, or dependent care services.

Q: What happens if I leave my employment during the plan year and have money left in my account(s)?
See your Human Resources Department for specifics regarding COBRA continuation of your Health Care FSA. The Dependent Care FSA is not eligible for COBRA continuation. If you choose not to participate in COBRA, any funds remaining in your Health Care FSA will be forfeited if you do not have sufficient eligible expenses incurred prior to termination.