Update on Flex Spending Account program: Deadlines extended, and eligible expenses rule changes

This is to advise members of our campus community of several important updates for the Flex Spending Account (FSA) program.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for employees to submit 2019 claims for the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) has been extended to May 31, 2020. The deadline was previously extended to April 30, 2020.

Employees who are enrolled in either benefit now have until May 31 to submit claims for health care or dependent care services provided during the 2019 calendar year. Employees can download claim forms and find instructions for submitting claims on the Flex Spending website at goer.ny.gov/FSA.

Also, the recently enacted CARES Act made several changes to the rules concerning eligible Health Care Spending Account expenses. Specifically:

• Effective Jan. 1, 2020, the requirement that over the counter (OTC) drugs and medicines must have a written prescription in order to be reimbursed is eliminated. OTC drugs and medicines may now be reimbursed by the HCSA without a prescription from a doctor.
• Effective Jan. 1, 2020, menstrual care products are now considered qualified medical expenses and are therefore eligible for reimbursement by the HCSA.

Please share this information with colleagues. If employees have any questions, they may email them to fsa@goer.ny.gov or contact WageWorks customer service at (800) 358-7202.