Use Flex Spending to cut your 2015 taxes The Flex Spending Account (FSA) is a


program PEF and the state negotiated to help members save money on their taxes. The FSA has two benefits: the Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount) and the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAccount). They help you pay for health care or dependent care with pre-tax dollars. The state will supplement pre-tax earnings you set aside for dependent care. How much money the state will add to your account depends on how much you earn, with those who earn the least receiving the most.


Enrollment Enroll in either or both accounts


between October 6 and November 7 of this year to save money on your 2015 income taxes. You may enroll online at www.flexspend.ny.gov or by calling 800- 358-7202. A customer service representative will take your application. If you have additional questions you may email them to fsa@goer.ny.gov. Even if you enrolled in a Flex Spending


Account last year for 2014, you must enroll again this year in order to participate in 2015. (However, employees who experience a qualifying event, such as a marriage, divorce or birth of a child during 2015 would be eligible to enroll then for the remainder of 2015.) Enrolling in either benefit is voluntary.


How much you would save on your 2015 income taxes (that you file in 2016) depends on your annual income, the number of dependents you claim on your taxes, and the amount of money you contribute through payroll deductions to your HCSAccount and/or DCAAccount. To enroll in a HCSAccount or


DCAAccount you must estimate your annual out-of-pocket costs, and then decide how much money to have withheld from your paycheck. Be sure to estimate your likely costs conservatively because if you don’t file enough claims to use the entire amount, you will lose any funds left in the account at the end of the year. Be aware: You may not pay directly for


eligible expenses from these accounts. You must pay the expenses first and then submit claims for reimbursement from your HCSAccount or DCAAccount.


New hires during 2015 To comply with the requirements of


the Affordable Care Act, new state employees who enroll in the HCSAccount during the plan year will now have a 60-day waiting period before their coverage begins.


Page 14—The Communicator September 2014 The HCSAccount eligibility period for a


new employee will begin on the 61st consecutive calendar day of employment. New employees who are hired during the open enrollment period will be offered the option of enrolling with a change in status when they receive their NYS Employer IDs after open enrollment ends. The employee would need to submit the Change in Status application within 60 days of the start of their employment.


Filing claims After you are enrolled in either or both


of the Flex Spending Accounts, you may submit claims for reimbursement online through www.myFBMC.com. You may upload scanned images of completed claim forms along with scans of supporting documents. You also will have the option of mailing


or faxing claims. You may choose to receive


reimbursement by check or direct deposit.


HCSAccount If eligible for a HCSAccount, you may


contribute any amount from $100 to $2,500 annually in pre-tax dollars to pay for out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision, or hearing costs not reimbursed by health insurance. The allowable costs include, among others: prescription drug copayments, dental implants, and orthodontia fees, deductibles, laser eye surgery and contact lenses. Previous changes to federal law limit


reimbursement for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, medicines and biologicals to those for which you have a doctor’s prescription. Other OTC products such as hearing aid batteries, bandages and contact lens solution are not affected by the law. OTC


drug claims must be submitted with a receipt that clearly states the name of the drug or item, store name, purchase date and price. Federal law imposed a cap of $2,500 on


how much you were allowed to contribute to a HCSAccount for the 2013 tax year. The cap for 2015 will increase based on


cost-of-living adjustments. The federal government is expected to issue guidance on the 2015 HCSAccount maximum contribution this fall, but enrollment materials, which will be printed before that announcement, will continue to reflect the current maximum of $2,500. Be sure to check the FSA website (http://flexspend.ny.gov) for updated information.


DCAAccount The DCAAccount is meant to help you


save money on the expense of paying someone to care for your child or children younger than age 13 or for an elderly or disabled dependent so you can be free to perform your work for the state. You may set aside up to $5,000 in pre-


tax salary through payroll deduction to help pay for these expenses. Eligible expenses for DCAAccount


reimbursement include such expenses as babysitting, nursery school, summer day camp, before/after school programs, adult day care, home aide, and housekeeper or cook if they provide custodial care. For 2015, the state will contribute: • $800 if you earn up to $30,000; • $700 if you earn $30,001 to $40,000; • $600 if you earn $40,001 to $50,000; • $500 if you earn $50,001 to $60,000; • $400 if you earn $60,001 to $70,000;


and • $300 if you earn $70,001 or more.


Getting an eye exam? You’ve got


90 days to buy new eyewear The NYS Vision Plan has not changed its benefits, but


the state Department of Civil Service recently sent PEF members enrolled in the plan a reminder that they and any covered dependents have just 90 days after their eye exams to buy eyewear such as new glasses, lenses or contacts. This applies to the standard benefit, the occupational vision program and the medical exception program.


You may select your eyewear the same day as your exam. However, if you don’t


have time to do it then or if your eyes were dilated for the exam, you may want to wait and make your selection later. Just don’t wait more than 90 days to do it. The plan benefit only covers services


that occur within the 90-day period. For additional information, contact Davis Vision at 888-588-4823. – Deborah Stayman


PEF Information Line: 1-800-553-2445


HEALTH NOTES


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36