Visit the Flex Spending Account website at www.flexspend.ny.gov for information about the program or to enroll during the open enrollment period held each fall.
What Is The Flex Spending Account?
The Flex Spending Account is a negotiated benefit for State employees. There are two parts to the Flex Spending Account:
Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAccount)
Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount)
Both are types of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). FSAs give you a way to pay for your dependent care or health care expenses with pre-tax dollars. FSAs are voluntary — you decide how much to have taken out of your paycheck and put into your DCAAccount and/or HCSAccount.
Why Should I Enroll?
If you are paying for dependent care expenses in order to work, or have medical expenses that are not reimbursable under your health insurance, you are paying for those expenses with dollars that have already been taxed. By enrolling in the DCAAccount or HCSAccount, you will pay those same expenses with whole dollars — before federal, state, and social security taxes are taken from your salary.
For 21 years, the DCAAccount has been consistently saving state employee participants hundreds of dollars on their dependent care expenses. The DCAAccount Employer Contribution will provide up to $800 for employees in eligible bargaining units who enroll in the DCAAccount for the 2013 plan year. The Employer Contribution is based on salary and is available to Executive Branch state employees who are M/C or represented by CSEA, PEF, GSEU, or are employed by the legislature. Employees of NYSERDA, EFC, and Roswell Park Cancer Institute are also eligible.
The HCSAccount is a great way to help you save on many of your family's healthcare expenses as well. Since the benefit was introduced in 2001, participation has more than tripled in size as over 17,000 state employees used their HCSAccounts in 2011 to save money on copays, prescription drugs, orthodontia, and other medical services provided to their families.
Enroll in the 2013 Plan Year with a Change In Status by November 10, 2013
The 2013 Flex Spending Account (FSA) open enrollment period ended on November 30, 2012. New state employees hired on or after November 1, 2012 may enroll for the 2013 plan year by submitting a Change in Status (CIS) application within 60 days of their hire dates. Employees who experience a valid Change in Status on or after December 1, 2012 or during the 2013 plan year may be eligible to enroll by submitting a Change in Status application within 60 days of their qualifying event.
Review the 2013 Change in Status information at www.flexspend.ny.gov to determine if your situation qualifies you to enroll during the plan year. You may enroll online at www.flexspend.ny.gov or by calling Fringe Benefits Customer Service at 1-800-358-7202 (option 1). Representatives are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Make sure you have your most recent pay stub available since you will need your Department ID and Negotiating Unit code to apply. Change in Status requests will be accepted until November 10, 2013.