FLEXIBLE BENEFIT PLAN

The Flexible Benefit Plan allows you to set aside tax-free dollars from your paycheck to pay yourself back for medical care and/or dependent care expenses you may incur throughout the calendar year. If you choose to participate in a flexible benefit plan, here is how it works.

• You choose to contribute an annual dollar amount that will be deducted in equal amounts each pay period, tax free, to one or both accounts (Medical and/or Dependent Care).
• The amount you contribute is automatically deducted from your pay at the same level each pay period.
• As you incur eligible expenses during the year, you submit a claim form for reimbursement from your tax-free contributions. Any benefit paid by Aetna through the EPISD Health Care Trust Medical Plan, will automatically be processed to reimburse you out-of-pocket expenses without submitting a claim form. 
• Once enrolled, you may not change your election for the remainder of the Flex Plan Year unless a family status change occurs. 

It is important to note that the date of the service, NOT THE DATE OF PAYMENT, must fall within the plan year (01/01 to 12/31) plus 75 days (January through Mid-March) for which you are enrolled.

Claims incurred during a Flexible Benefit Plan Year may be filed up to 90 days after the end of the plan year.
The Flexible Benefit Plan consists of the Medical Reimbursement Account and the Dependent Care Account.
Medical Reimbursement Account- You may pledge any amount up to $5,000 per plan year for any eligible medical related expenses that have not been or will not be paid or reimbursed through a group or individual health care plan.
 
Dependent Care Account- Enables you to pay for dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.  Dependent Care expense must be work related, for your eligible dependent (defined by the IRS) who is under the age of 13 and/or for the care of a dependent or spouse who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care.
**It is important that you budget carefully when taking advantage of either the Medical Reimbursement and/or the Dependent Care Account.  The same tax law that permits this benefit also specifies that any money that is left in your account at the end of the plan year must be forfeited. 
ELIGIBILITY
You are eligible to participate if you are a benefit eligible employee.

How to enroll in the Flexible Benefit Plan

1)   Enroll as a new employee during employee orientation through the EPISD web-based enrollment system. 

• Enroll annually by electing your pledge amount during annual enrollment through the web-based enrollment system or a manual enrollment form as required.  This is required to verify the account/s that you will be participating in and to elect the annual pledge amount for the Plan Year (January 1 through December 31) plus 75 days (January through Mid-March) for which you are enrolled.
• The account(s) are funded by your payroll deductions. The annual pledge amount is divided by the number of pay periods/paychecks received per that plan year.
• Re-enrollment is required every plan year with a new pledge amount. 

How to get reimbursed

• Claims paid by Aetna under your medical plan option (Classic or Standard Option) will rollover into the Flexible Benefit Plan for automatic reimbursement.
• Any other reimbursements require that you submit a Flexible Benefit Plan Reimbursement Request Form including the name of the Provider, Dates of service, Name and Age of Person receiving the service and an itemized statement for payment of service.
• Complete the Reimbursement Request Form and submit to:

 Aetna
P.O. Box 981106
El Paso, TX 79998-1106

• Any amounts reimbursed by the Plan may not be claimed as deductions on your personal income tax return. 

RULES
In return for the tax advantages, the IRS has strict rules. All the following rules apply:

• You cannot change the amount you contribute to either account until the next plan year, unless you have a qualifying event for a change in status.
• Transfers of money from one account to the other are not allowed.
• Medical Reimbursement Account participants can be reimbursed for claims incurred 75 days from the last day of the Flexible Benefit Plan Year, as long as the request for reimbursement is submitted by March 31.
• Any money left in either account for which you have not requested reimbursement by March 31st will be forfeited.
• EPISD participates in the "Mandatory Final Paycheck Rule". At the time of termination of employment, your final paycheck amount will be reduced by up to 100% of the total premium/pledge amount for either FSA accounts.