HRA, HSA, and FSA Frequently Asked Questions Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) Frequently Asked Questions What is an HRA and who is eligible to participate? The Health Reimbursement Account, or HRA, is a pool of ABHOW dollars that you can use for medical expenses. You can participate in the HRA if you are enrolled in the Anthem $1,500 Deductible Plan, or if you are enrolled in the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan and are over age 65 or will become 65 anytime during 2014. How much does ABHOW contribute to my HRA? The amount that ABHOW contributes to your HRA depends on your coverage level. Each year, ABHOW will contribute the following amounts to your HRA: 2014 HRA Contributions Coverage level ABHOW Contribution Single $750 Family $1,500 When are HRA funds deposited? For 2014, ABHOW will fund the HRA at the beginning of the year. This means you ll be able to use ABHOW s full contribution in January. (Beginning 2015, the HRA will no longer be available; it will be replaced by a Health Savings Account.) Can I make contributions of my own to the HRA? No. The HRA is fully funded by ABHOW. Will I lose my HRA dollars if I leave ABHOW? Yes if you leave ABHOW, you ll forfeit your HRA balance. HRA funds are available to you only while you work at ABHOW. If you leave ABHOW and continue coverage through COBRA, you may keep your HRA fund for the remainder of the year as long as you continue to pay your premiums. What happens if I don t use all of my HRA dollars by the end of 2013?
Your HRA will roll over from 2013 to 2014 only if you re enrolled in one of the following plans for 2014: the Anthem $1,500 Deductible Plan, or the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan if you re over age 65. (If you re enrolled in any other option, you ll forfeit your 2013 HRA fund balance.) The roll over of 2013 funds will happen in April 2014, subject to a maximum based on the coverage level you select. Here s how it will work: If you enroll for individual coverage If you enroll for family coverage January 1, 2014: ABHOW Annual HRA Deposit April 2014: Maximum Rollover from 2013 $750 $1,500 $375 $750 Total $1,125 $2,250 Any funds you have in your HRA over the maximum rollover shown in the table will be forfeited. You have until March 31, 2014 to file for reimbursement for expenses you incurred before December 31, 2013. How do I use my HRA dollars to pay for eligible expenses? You ll receive a debit card that you can use to pay for eligible expenses. All you have to do is use your debit card at the point of purchase, just like you would any other bank card. Note: There may be times when you ll be contacted regarding supporting documentation such as a receipt or explanation of benefits. If that happens, you ll have 72 days to respond or your debit card will be de-activated. Where can I learn more about the HRA? You can learn more by contacting Mercer Marketplace (www.mercermarketplace.com/login).
Health Savings Account (HSA) Frequently Asked Questions What is an HSA? An HSA is an account funded by ABHOW and you (if you choose). An HSA works like a bank account that you manage and use to pay for your eligible health care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Money in the HSA is always yours, even if you change medical plans, you leave ABHOW, or retire. If you are in another medical plan down the road (with ABHOW or another employer), you can use the funds at that time, too. Who is eligible to participate in an HSA? You are eligible to participate in an HSA if you re under age 65 and enrolled in the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan. How much does ABHOW contribute to my HSA, and how much can I contribute? The annual amount ABHOW contributes to your HSA and the amount you can contribute depend on your coverage level. Coverage level ABHOW contributes You can contribute Maximum Annual contribution Single $750 $2,550 $3,300 Family $1,500 $5,050 $6,550 If you are age 55 or over, you can contribute an additional $1,000 each year to your account. This is called a catch-up contribution. When is ABHOW s contribution to the HSA deposited? For 2014, ABHOW will fund the HSA at the beginning of the year. This means you ll be able to use ABHOW s full contribution in January. (Beginning 2015, ABHOW will make its contributions quarterly.) Can I change my contribution in the middle of the year? Yes. You can start, change, or stop you contribution at any time during the year you don t have to wait for Open Enrollment. Simply visit www.mercermarketplace.com/login to start, stop or change your contributions. Do I lose unused dollars in my HSA at the end of each calendar year? No the money is always yours. Unused HSA dollars roll over year after year, with no limit.
What is the tax advantage of enrolling in the HSA? Contributions to your HSA are tax-free from both you and ABHOW. You won t pay any taxes on the interest you earn as the money in your HSA grows over time, and you won t pay any taxes on the funds you withdraw from your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses. How does the HSA compare the HRA that s currently offered? The table below provides an overview of the two. Available through ABHOW contributes Can you contribute? Can it cover future health care expenses? Does it roll over from year to year? Is it portable if you leave ABHOW or retire? Can you roll 2013 HRA funds into the plan? Health Savings Account (HSA) Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan (if under 65) $750 for individual coverage $1,500 for family coverage Yes, on a pre-tax basis (so you pay less in taxes) Annual maximum contribution limit: $3,300 individual and $6,550 family (including ABHOW s portion) Yes, even in retirement Yes, with no limits Yes No Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) Anthem $1,500 Deductible Plan Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan (if 65+) $750 for individual coverage $1,500 for family coverage No No Yes, but limited to 75% of your annual deductible amount No Yes
Can I use my HSA to reimburse medical expenses for dependents not covered under an ABHOW medical plan? In general, you can make tax-free withdrawals for qualified health care expenses if your dependent qualifies as your dependent for income tax purposes even if they aren t covered under an ABHOW medical plan. For same-gender domestic partners, federal rules allow employees to make tax-free withdrawals only if the partner qualifies as a dependent under Section 152 of the U.S. Federal Tax Code. See IRS Publication 969 for additional details on qualified medical expenses. Could I enroll in the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan and have money left in my HSA at year-end even if I don t contribute any of my own money? Yes. You would have the value of ABHOW s contribution to your HSA minus whatever portion of those funds you ve used. You don t need to contribute any of your own funds to receive ABHOW s contributions. How do I use my HSA to pay for eligible expenses? When you sign up for an HSA during Open Enrollment, you ll receive a debit card that you can use for expenses. Just swipe your card at the time of purchase and the money will be automatically withdrawn from your account. What options do I have for investing my account balance? To learn more about the investment options for your account, go to www.mercermarketplace.com/login. How can I learn more about the HSA? You can learn more by checking out: The ABHOW video library, which is a series of short videos on various topics including the HSA. You can view them on the Your Heath Matters website (yourhealthmatters.abhow.com). Mercer Marketplace (www.mercermarketplace.com/login).
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Frequently Asked Questions What types of FSAs can I enroll in? There are three types of flexible spending accounts: 1) A Dependent Care FSA is an account you can use to pay for child care or elder care expenses that allow you to work. With this account, you can contribute $120 to $5,000 each year in pre-tax dollars. Any children you wish to cover under the Dependent Care FSA must be under age 13. You can also use the Dependent Care FSA to pay for adult dependents (such as a disabled spouse, or elderly parent); however, they must live with you and depend on you for support. 2) A Health Care FSA is an account you can use to pay out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses (for example, copays, coinsurance, your deductible, etc.). With this account, you can contribute $120 to $2,500 each year in pre-tax dollars. Due to IRS rules, you are not allowed to have this traditional FSA account if you are enrolled in the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan and have a Health Savings Account, or HSA because of a redundancy in their tax advantages. You can use your Health Care FSA for your health care expenses and the health care expenses of your dependents. Your dependents don t need to be enrolled in an ABHOW medical plan you can still use your Health Care FSA to pay for their expenses even if they re covered under another plan. 3) A Limited Purpose FSA this is new this year and is available only if you have a Health Savings Account (HSA). In other words, you d be enrolled in the Anthem $2,500 Deductible Plan. Just like the regular Health Care FSA, you can contribute $120 to $2,500 each year in pre-tax dollars but the Limited Purpose FSA can only be used for dental and vision expenses.
What expenses are covered under a limited-purpose FSA? A limited-purpose FSA covers qualified out-of-pocket expenses for dental and/or vision care provided to you, your spouse, or dependent(s). Typical eligible expenses include: Dental Care Cleanings Fillings Crowns Orthodontics Vision Care Contact lenses Eyeglasses Refractions Vision correction procedures What expenses are not covered under a limited-purpose FSA? Many expenses typically covered under a general-purpose health FSA are NOT eligible for reimbursement under a limited-purpose FSA, including (but not limited to): Medical expenses, including deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays Alcohol and substance abuse rehab expenses Prescription medications Over-the-counter medicines and items Medical equipment Contraceptives Additionally, the following expenses are ineligible under a limited-purpose FSA: Insurance premiums Cosmetic procedures Expenses for services rendered outside the coverage period Expenses reimbursed by an insurance provider or other health plan Personal use items (e.g., toothpaste) Dental whitening A complete list of eligible and ineligible expenses is available online at www.mercermarketplace.com/login. How do I use my FSAs to pay for eligible expenses? For all FSAs, you pay for your eligible expense up front and submit a reimbursement claim. You ll just need to file a claim and attach any bills or receipts, and you ll get reimbursed. Claims can be filed online at www.mercermarketplace.com/login.
Where can I find more information about the FSAs? You can learn more by checking out: The ABHOW video library, which is a series of short videos on various topics including the FSAs. You can view them on the Your Heath Matters website (yourhealthmatters.abhow.com). Mercer Marketplace (www.mercermarketplace.com/login).