REMINDER - 2022 FLEX SPENDING OPEN ENROLLMENT DEADLINE

2022 Flexible Spending Open Enrollmentwill end on November 29, 2021 at 10:00 P.M.

The Flexible Spending Account (FSA) provides three pre-tax opportunities for employees to enroll in- the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA), the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA), and the new Adoption Advantage Account.

Employees may choose to enroll in one, two or all three accounts. Paperless enrollment makes it easy for employees to apply online or through a toll-free number.

Health Care Spending Account

The annual contribution that an employee may make to the HCSA is $2,750 for the 2022 plan year. The maximum contribution may change annually since it is indexed to inflation. Contributions are made through pre-tax payroll deductions and may be used for eligible health care expenses that are not covered by a health insurance plan.

Employees who enroll in the HCSA for 2022 will be issued the WageWorks® Healthcare Card, which is a preloaded debit card. Employees can use the Card to pay for eligible health care products, medical services, and prescriptions right from their account instead of paying with cash or a credit card. The Card can’t be used to pay for dental, orthodontia, dependent care, or adoption expenses. However, paper claim forms and receipts can be submitted online for approval.

Over the counter drugs and medicines are now eligible for reimbursement without a written prescription through the HCSA. In addition, menstrual care products are now considered medical expenses that are eligible for reimbursement through the HCSA.

Dependent Care Advantage Account

State employees may contribute up to $5,000 per year per household in the DCAA for elder care, disabled dependent care, or child care expenses. Employees’ contributions are deducted biweekly from their gross pay and deposited into the appropriate account. After eligible services have been received, the employee submits a claim form for reimbursement.

The DCAA employer contribution will be available in 2022 for unions that participate in the employer contribution program. The following employees are currently eligible for the employer contribution:

• State University of New York employees who are designated M/C or represented by PEF, CSEA, UUP, GSEU, NYSCOPBA, or DC-37

The employer contribution may be available to state employees in other bargaining units for the 2022 plan year pending conclusion of negotiations and ratified contracts. Based on salary, the employer contribution will provide up to $800 for eligible employees who enroll in the DCAA.

For employer contribution updates, please visit the FSA website at www.flexspend.ny.gov or call (800)358-7202.

Adoption Advantage Account

Eligible state employees may contribute up to $14,440 in the Adoption Advantage Account for the 2022 plan year. Contributions are made through pre-tax payroll deductions and may be used for expenses related to the adoption of an eligible child.

Use It or Lose It

Due to the tax advantage that flexible spending accounts provide, the IRS has strict guidelines regarding contributions. According to IRS regulations, any 2022 contributions that remains in the FSA account at the end of the three-month runout period, January 1 through March 31, 2023, is forfeited.

This is commonly known as the “use it or lose it” rule. We strongly encourage employees to carefully estimate their annual expenses and to submit their claims before the end of the runout period.

If you are interested in newly enrolling in the plan, or you want to continue your enrollment in 2022, you must register by the deadline (November 29th at 10:00 p.m.). To register, you must visit www.flexspend.ny.gov and provide the following information:

New York State ID# (Begins with the letter N)
Department Code (listed as Agency Code)
Negotiating Unit Code

All of the required information can be found on your pay stub. To view, log into SOLAR and click Payroll and Compensation, then View Paycheck.