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Overview

Children’s Mercy provides FSAs that allow you to set aside money from your paycheck before taxes to pay for eligible expenses.

  • A Health Care FSA reimburses you for eligible health care expenses not covered by your health plans.
  • A Dependent Day Care FSA reimburses you for eligible dependent day care expenses.

HEALTH CARE FSA OVERVIEW

You may contribute up to $2,700 in the 2019–2020 plan year to reimburse yourself for eligible health care expenses. Funds can be used to pay for expenses of any of your dependents – even if they are not covered through your medical plan – as long as they are considered eligible dependents.

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Click here to view the list of eligible FSA expenses.
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If you make contributions to a Health Care FSA, the law prevents your spouse from contributing to a Health Savings Account through his or her employer.

The Health Care FSA is different from the Health Account (which is a health reimbursement account, or HRA) associated with the medical plans. Review the side-by-side comparison below.

  Health Care FSA Health Account
Who contributes? You Children’s Mercy
What can I use my account for? Eligible expenses not paid for by your health coverage, including:
  • Deductible (not paid for by your Health Account)
  • Coinsurance
  • Certain services not covered by your medical plan
  • Prescription drugs
  • Dental, vision and hearing aid expenses
  • Prescribed over-the-counter medication
  • Nonpreventive care services applied toward your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum
  Note: You cannot use your Health Account to pay for prescription drug expenses
What happens at the end of the plan year? The plan year ends on June 30. From July 1 through Sept. 15 of the next plan year, you can incur expenses and use any remaining money in your Health Care FSA. This is called the grace period. Any remaining money after the grace period is forfeited. Oct. 31 is the final day to submit claims incurred from July 1 through Sept. 15
  • The plan year ends on June 30. Any remaining money in your Health Account rolls over for you to use in the next plan year
How do I use it to pay for care? Unless you owe a copay for a medical service, do not pay anything at the time of your visit. If you have money in your Health Account, you can use it to pay for your service when your claim is processed, or you can choose to pay out of your pocket and save your Health Account dollars for future eligible medical expenses under your Children’s Mercy medical plan. You should receive an Explanation of Benefits from Cigna, which will clearly state any remaining amount you owe
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If you enroll in an FSA for the 2019–2020 plan year, you will receive a debit card from Discovery Benefits, and all payroll contributions will be deposited into your FSA with Discovery Benefits.

If you need a new card or additional cards, you can request them from Discovery Benefits.

DEPENDENT DAY CARE FSA OVERVIEW

You may contribute up to $5,000 in the 2019–2020 plan year to reimburse yourself for eligible dependent day care expenses. Eligible dependents include:

  • Your children ages 13 and younger;
  • Older children who live with you at least eight hours per day who are physically or mentally incapable of self-care and depend on you for support; and
  • A disabled parent or spouse who lives with you and requires care while you work.

Eligible day care expenses include care provided in your home, a neighbor’s home (with fewer than six children in day care in the home), a relative’s home (if the relative is not your dependent) or a licensed day care facility. Any change in your dependent day care costs allows you to change your Dependent Day Care FSA contribution amount.

Note: Highly Compensated Employees (HCEs) may be limited in the amount they can contribute due to non-discrimination requirements. Affected HCEs will be notified in the event of a required reduction to dependent care FSA contributions.

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Submit a claim by visiting www.discoverybenefits.com. Once you log in, click File a Claim in the I Want To section and follow the steps on the interactive claim form. Then select Add Claim, agree to the Terms and Conditions and select Submit. You will receive confirmation that your claim was submitted. Your claim will be processed in two business days.

Be prepared to submit receipts to confirm your claims. If receipts are not received by the communicated deadline, your debit card will become inactive.

CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE YOU ENROLL IN AN FSA

With the “use it or lose it” rule, it’s important to estimate how much you’ll spend out of pocket on eligible expenses.

  • Know what expenses are eligible for reimbursement from each account when you estimate. You won’t be able to get the money back from your FSA.
  • Be careful with your estimate and be sure to consider the amount in your Children’s Mercy Health Account. You will not be reimbursed from your Health Care FSA for expenses paid by your Health Account.
  • Ineligible and unsubstantiated expenses are subject to taxation.
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Confirm your eligibility and when you can enroll in FSAs.

Eligible FSA Expenses

View the list of eligible expenses on Discovery Benefits website
You can also review IRS Publication 502.