Advocate Health Care
Benefits
Flexible Spending Accounts

 
Resources Forms

Associate Contributions Dental HMO Dental HMO Copayment Schedule MetLife PDP MetLife PDP with Orthodontia MetLife Dental ID Card MetLife PDP Dental Nomination Card
Disability Certification Disability Council Eligibility Requirements Limited Hours Program Long Term Disability Plan Short Term Disability Plan Social Security Disability Benefits   Vocational Rehabilitation Services   
Affidavit of Domestic Partnership Dependent Coverage    Eligibility    Enrollment Process    Estimated Imputed Income Paying for Benefits   
Account Rules    Eligible Dependent Day Care Expenses    Eligible Health Care Expenses    Reimbursement Process    Tax Advantages   
ActiveHealth® HealthMedia® Healthe You Goes RED Healthe You Awards Healthe TRENDS Know Your Numbers    Questions & Answers    Start! Walking
Coming Soon! Healthe Actions Healthe Breathing Healthe Care Healthe Champion Healthe Eating Healthe Path Healthe Vending
Covered Services FAQs
FAQs  
Optional AD&D Insurance    Optional Life Insurance   
Associate Contributions Deductible Reimbursement Account (DRA) Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Health Reinbursement Account (HRA) Health Savings Account (HSA) Healthe Futures Account (HFA) High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Medicare Part D   Non-Duplication of Benefits   Physician Search PPO/Deductible Reimbursement Plan (PPO/DRP) PPO/DRP and HDHP Covered Services Woman's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998  
PTO Sharing/Donation  
Investment Options Vesting Loans and Withdrawals Other Information
Condell Health Network Retirement Plan- Form 5500 Portable Pension Plan    Benefits Update
Primary Benefits   Secondary Discounts Rates  

   expand  |  collapse

   

Overview
Because health care and dependent care services can be expensive, Advocate believes it’s important to help you minimize your out-of-pocket cost for these services whenever possible. That’s why Advocate offers two types of Flexible Spending Accounts—the Health Care Flexible Spending Account and the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account—which provide a great way for you to reduce your current taxable income and taxes and to use these tax-free dollars to reimburse yourself for the cost of eligible health care and dependent day care services. And that can save you money!

These accounts are administered on Advocate's behalf by Tri-Star Systems.

Health care flexible spending account
Even if you participate in Advocate's medical, dental and vision plans, you may incur some out-of-pocket health care expenses. The Health Care FSA allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars for expenses that aren't reimbursed through a health care plan. You might want to consider using the Health Care FSA. You'll want to review the medical, dental and vision expenses that are considered eligible health care expenses as you make your decision.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is now even greater flexibility in terms of what’s considered an eligible expense. You can now use the money in your Health Care FSA to reimburse yourself for over-the-counter drugs used to alleviate or treat an illness or injury, including antacids, allergy medications, pain relievers and cold medicines. This additional flexibility is just another great reason to participate in a flexible spending account.

There is an annual minimum of $200 and an annual maximum of $8,000 you may contribute to your Health Care FSA.

Dependent day care flexible spending account
The Dependent Day Care FSA lets you pay for eligible child, spouse or elder care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

If you have children or elder dependents who need day care while you work, the Dependent Day Care FSA may be right for you. You'll want to review the types of child and elder care that are considered eligible dependent day care expenses as you make your decision.

You may contribute up to $5,000 a year to your Dependent Day Care FSA. Note: The annual limit is $5,000 per family , so if you're married, your spouse participates in a Dependent Day Care FSA through his or her employer, and you and your spouse file separate tax returns, your limit is $2,500. You aren't allowed to contribute more than your income (or your spouse's income, whichever is less) to your dependent care flexible spending account.

Flexible spending accounts—other things to know
By contributing a portion of your pay to one or both of these accounts, you lower your taxable income (see tax advantages ) since the flexible spending accounts are funded with pre-tax dollars. It works this way:

You pick the amount you want to set aside from each paycheck for each flexible spending account.
When you have an eligible expense, you submit a flexible spending account claim along with documentation (see reimbursement process).
You will receive a check for the claim amount, or you may choose to have the reimbursement directly deposited to your bank account.

Eligible health care expenses for a given year may be incurred anytime during the year and the first 2-1/2 months of the following year. In other words, you may use your Health Care FSA for eligible health care expenses that you or a covered family member incurs from January 1, of one year through March 15, of the next year.

Eligible dependent care expenses for a given year must be incurred during the year.

If you are hired during a calendar year, expenses eligible for reimbursement must be incurred after your effective date.

All requests for reimbursement must be filed by March 31 of the following year.

Using the Flexible Spending Accounts is easy, but there are some account rules you need to know if you decide to participate. Participation requires good planning because federal law requires you to forfeit any unclaimed amounts left in your accounts.

For more information
For answers to questions about general plan features or claims related to your FSA contributions, contact Tri-Star Systems—by phone at 800.727.0182 (7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ct, Monday – Friday), or online at www.tri-starsystems.com. See the Benefits Directory for an address and fax number for written correspondence.