Q: What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? (TOP)

A: A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a benefit plan administered by Manley Services which allows you to pay for out-of-pocket health care or dependent/childcare expenses with pre-tax dollars. This open enrollment period is for expenses you will actually incur from January 1 through December 31, 2010.

Q: Why would I want an FSA? (TOP)

A: The bottom line is you will pay less in taxes. By using an FSA to set aside money for eligible expenses, you may save between 30% and 44% on the cost of your health or dependent/childcare expenses.

Q:Who should have an FSA? (TOP)

A: Anyone with predictable out-of-pocket healthcare or, in some cases, dependent/childcare expenses. If you spend money on these things, you could be paying less in taxes by using an FSA.

Q: When can I enroll? (TOP)

A: The open enrollment period is November 15 through December 15.

DEADLINE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009

All forms must be received by the 4J Human Resources Office by 5:00 p.m. on this day.
If you do not enroll by this deadline you will not be eligible to participate until January 2011.

Q: How can I learn more? (TOP)

A: 1. Attend one of these informal, drop-in format meetings:

DAY	DATE	TIME	LOCATION
Tuesday	November 17	7:00 – 8:00 PM	Education Center Auditorium
Tuesday	December 1	3:45 – 4:45 PM	South Eugene High Library
Wednesday	December 2	3:45 – 4:45 PM	Sheldon High Library
Thursday	December 3	4:45 – 5:45 PM	Education Center Auditorium
Tuesday	December 8	3:45 – 4:45 PM	North Eugene High Library
Thursday	December 10	3:45 – 4:45 PM	Churchill High Library
Tuesday	December 15	3:00 – 5:00 PM	Education Center Entryway (Final Day!)

(Manley Services will be conducting these drop-in meetings to answer your questions and assist you with enrollment forms.)

   2. Look on the Manley Services website: http://www.manleyserv.com/
   3. Email inquiries to sales@manleyserv.com
   4. Call Stan Manley 225-2702 or Kim Apo 225-2706 at Manley Services.

(Manley Services will be conducting these drop-in meetings to answer your questions and assist you with enrollment forms.)

Q: What are Eligible Expenses? (TOP)

A: Health related expenses: Below are just a few examples.

* medical co-pays/deductibles

* prescription co-pays

* dental expenses (even your portion of orthodontia)

* vision expenses like glasses, contacts (even lasik eye surgery!)

* over-the-counter items such as: allergy medications, cold medicines, cough suppressants, pain relievers (aspirin, acetaminophen, etc.), band-aids, heat or ice packs

There are many eligible health care related expenses. When in doubt, it never hurts to ask!

Dependent care expenses: If you pay someone to care for a dependent (a child, a disabled spouse or dependent parent) while you come to work, these could be eligible expenses. (Certain restrictions apply, so be sure to clarify your situation before enrolling.) An FSA may provide more advantage than the childcare tax credit now offered by the IRS. (To determine the best option for you, please consult a financial advisor.)

Q: Can I submit my monthly health insurance premiums as healthcare expenses? (TOP)

A: No! Monthly health insurance premiums (either paid directly from paychecks or separately for non-4J plans) are not eligible for reimbursement under the FSA. Remember all 4J monthly premiums are automatically deducted pre-tax, unless you specifically opted out of this “tax-shelter.”

Q: Can I submit expenses incurred by other family members? (TOP)

A: Yes! You can submit expenses incurred by anyone you claim as a dependent on your taxes.

Q: Do I need to be enrolled in the District health insurance plan to have an FSA? (TOP)

A: No! As long as you are ELIGIBLE for District insurance benefits, you can enroll in the FSA plan, even if you waive the health insurance.

Q: How do I sign up? (TOP)

A: Complete the enrollment form and make sure it reaches 4J Human Resources before 5:00 PM December 15, 2009!

Q: Is the same amount taken out of my paycheck every month? (TOP)

A: Yes, you must select a fixed amount that is deducted each month for one year. The amount accumulates during the year and can be used only during the year it is deducted. At the end of the year, you can specify a new monthly deduction amount. Dependent-care and health-care deductions are held in separate accounts so you must specify the type of expense and amount to be deducted for each category.

Q: How do I get reimbursed? (TOP)

A: It's easy. The school district contracts with Manley Services to manage the flexible spending account program. When you have incurred an eligible out-of-pocket expense, simply send a Reimbursement Request Form, along with your bill or receipts to Manley Services

Q: What if I don't use up all the money in my spending account during the year? (TOP)

A: This is the tricky part of participating in the program. Any unused money in the account at the end of the calendar year is forfeited, by IRS law. For this reason, it is important to carefully analyze your needs. For example, child-care expenses may be very predictable, allowing you to specify an exact amount to be deducted. Health-care expenses may not be as predictable. You can base your deduction on previous years’ expenses, knowing that you can use excess amounts toward the end of the year to buy new glasses or other items you might have waited to purchase.

Q: Is there a cost to participate in the program? (TOP)

A: No. The flexible spending account program is a no-cost benefit the district offers its employees to help offset the increasing cost of health and child care.

Q: What do I have to do to participate? (TOP)

A: If you are a current employee, you can participate by signing up during the program’s open enrollment period. The open enrollment period for the flexible spending program is later in the year (usually mid-November to mid-December) because the flexible spending program’s plan year runs from January 1 to December 31. You will receive information from the Employee Benefits Office about enrolling prior to the enrollment period. New employees can enroll at the time of hire.

Q: Once I'm participating, how can I access my account information?(TOP)

A: Once you enroll, Manley will mail you a personal identification number (PIN) which you can use to enter the MyFlex area of their web site. This feature allows you to:

Access information on the most recent reimbursement payments, including payment dates and amounts
See payment details, including account type and form of payment
View recently submitted claims along with their payment status
Check account balances, annual elections, and deposits

Q: How do I make changes to my account information (address, dependent care election amounts, etc)? (TOP)

A: NOTE: Healthcare FSA amounts CANNOT BE CHANGED under any circumstances. Dependent care amounts may only be changed within 31 days of a qualifying status change (QSC) event.

An FSA Change Form must be submitted to 4J Human Resources. They will pass along the appropriate information to Manley Services as well as other benefits carriers that may be affected.

If you would like more information about the program before deciding to enroll, visit the Manley site or call Manley Services at 485-7488 and ask for Stan Manley at ext. 102 or Kim Apo at ext. 106.

Q: Can I fax my enrollment form? (TOP)
A: Yes, enrollment forms can be faxed to (541) 790-7674.

Q: If I fax my enrollment form, do I need to also send you the original? (TOP)

A: No, we had required this in past years, but it is no longer necessary. As they say, "Just the fax, ma'am." ;-)

Q: How can I be sure my fax went through? (TOP)

A: The best way is to get a confirmation report from the fax machine you used to send it. Keep the confirmation and your original enrollment form in your records.

Q: Can I send my enrollment form through district mail? (TOP)

A: Yes, but the form must reach Human Resources no later than 5:00pm Tuesday, December 15th. Do not use district mail later than Friday, December 11th.

Q: Can I call to make sure Human Resources received my enrollment form? (TOP)

A: Yes, you can call the Human Resources Main Line at 790-7660. New forms that arrive will be sorted each evening, so please allow 24 hours before calling to confirm receipt.

Q: Is massage a reimbursable expense I can submit to my Health Care Flexible Spending account? (TOP)

A: It can be if it's treating a medical condition. To determine if your situation would qualify, and to learn how to properly document it for reimbursement, please call Manley Services at (541) 485-7488. Manley Services also provides a list of eligible expenses on their web site.