Flexible Spending Accounts

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can help save you money by letting you set aside money to use toward eligible expenses like medical costs, child care, and other health services. The amount you save depends on how much you put into your FSA and your income tax rate.

It’s important to remember you’ll need to re-enroll in your FSA each plan year.

How an FSA works
Before your plan year begins, you decide how much money you want to put into your FSA. If you’re not sure, you can use the FSA Savings Calculator on myuhc.com.
When the plan year starts, money is automatically deducted from your paycheck before federal, state, or Social Security taxes are taken. That money is then placed in your FSA.

As eligible expenses incur, you can use your FSA to help pay for them. Your entire FSA amount is available to you on the first day of your plan year, so you don't have to wait until the money is reflected in your current balance to use it.

How to get reimbursed

Getting reimbursed from your FSA is easy - just submit your claims online at myuhc.com. You can also sign up for email alerts to track claims and reimbursements. Check the box for direct deposits, too, so you can get reimbursements put directly into your personal bank account.

Getting reimbursed from your FSA is easy - just submit your claims online at myuhc.com. Using myuhc.com also makes it easier for you to track account balances and turn on direct deposits for fast reimbursements directly into your personal bank account.

How to pay for services

When you sign up for the FSA, you will receive a Mastercard® Health Care Spending Card from UnitedHealthcare. This debit card lets you pay for covered health care services or other eligible expenses from your FSA. With the debit card, there's no need to write checks or submit claim forms— you can use this debit card from your FSA by phone, through the web, or at any place that accepts MasterCard.

How to manage spending your FSA

Health Care Flexible Spending Account

Sign up for a health care flexible spending account (FSA) to help pay for eligible health care expenses with tax-free dollars.

What a Health Care FSA pays for
Here is a list of some eligible expenses that you can pay for with a health care FSA. For a full list of expenses and rules, visit irs.gov.

Common expenses
Acupuncture
Blood sugar test kits
Breast pumps and lactation supplies
Chiropractor visits
Dental services like cleanings, fillings, X-rays and braces
Doctor visits, X-rays and lab work
Hearing aids and batteries
Health plan deductible, coinsurance and copayments
Lasik eye surgery
Prescribed, over-the-counter medicines
Prescriptions — retail and mail

Sunscreen SPF 30 or higher — may require a prescription
Surgery, excluding cosmetic surgery
Vision services like exams, eyeglasses, frames and contact lenses

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Sign up for a dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for eligible day care and elder care expenses with tax-free dollars.

What a Dependent Care FSA pays for
Here is a list of some of the eligible expenses that you can pay for with a dependent care FSA. For a full list of expenses and rules, visit irs.gov.
Child care expenses

Before and after school care and extended care programs for dependents under age 13
Babysitter — who is not your child, under age 19 and a tax dependent
Child care and qualified child care centers for dependents under age 13
Nursery school
Preschool
Elder care expenses

Adult day care center for dependents age 13 or older who are not able to support themselves
Elder care while you work (in your home or someone else’s)
Senior day care

Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account

If you already have a health savings account (HSA), you can sign up for a limited-purpose flexible spending account to help pay for eligible expenses with tax-free dollars. By having a limited-purpose flexible spending account, you get to save your HSA dollars for other expenses.

What a Limited Purpose FSA pays for
Here is a list of some of the eligible expenses that you can pay for with a limited-purpose FSA. For a full list of expenses and rules, visit irs.gov.
Dental

Artificial teeth
Braces

Dental plan deductible, coinsurance and copayments

Dental services like exams, cleanings, fillings, and X-rays

Mouth guards

Orthodontia services

Tooth caps and tooth removals
Vision

Contact lenses and solutions

Eyeglasses and frames

LASIK eye surgery

Vision exams

Vision plan deductible, coinsurance and copayments

Commuter Expense Reimbursement Account

When you sign up for the Commuter Expense Reimbursement Account (CERA) with Optum, you can set aside some of your pretax pay from each paycheck to use for your eligible commuting and parking expenses. CERA saves you money by lowering the income that subject to federal income tax, FICA (Social Security) and state income tax (in most states). Your savings will depend on your commuting expenses, tax situation, and monthly limits set by the IRS .

What a CERA pays for
The CERA account works with any transit system and almost any parking or vanpool provider, nationwide. Use it to pay for:

Public transit services such as bus, light rail, regional rail, streetcar, trolley, subway or ferry
Vanpool
Parking at or near work
Parking at or near public transportation for your commute

Start saving with CERA

Once your health care plan becomes effective, you can register for access to www.myuhc.com where you can place your order based on your commute and parking needs. You can either place your order to receive your commuter products before the start of each month or you can automatically receive the same benefit every month until you change or cancel.

If your employer offers the Optum® Commuter Card, you can use this card instead of cash or credit to buy transit passes, load smart cards or even pay for parking. If your transit operator or parking provider does not accept the card, we have several other ways for you to use the program to save.
A benefit for riding a bicycle to work

Flexible Spending Accounts

How an FSA works How an FSA works

How to get reimbursed How to get reimbursed

How to pay for services How to pay for services

How to manage spending your FSA How to manage spending your FSA

Health Care Flexible Spending Account

What a Health Care FSA pays for What a Health Care FSA pays for

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

What a Dependent Care FSA pays for What a Dependent Care FSA pays for

Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account

What a Limited Purpose FSA pays for What a Limited Purpose FSA pays for

Commuter Expense Reimbursement Account

What a CERA pays for What a CERA pays for

Start saving with CERA Start saving with CERA

A benefit for riding a bicycle to work A benefit for riding a bicycle to work

How an FSA works

How to get reimbursed

How to pay for services

How to manage spending your FSA

What a Health Care FSA pays for

What a Dependent Care FSA pays for

What a Limited Purpose FSA pays for

What a CERA pays for

Start saving with CERA

A benefit for riding a bicycle to work