Flexible Spending Account Updates

Following recently-passed COVID-relief legislation and CARES Act funding, UNO employees are able to enhance multiple aspects of their Health Care Flexible Spending Account and/or their Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account.

The following adjustments are in place, effective immediately:

• Your Carry Over Amount is Increased
• More Flexibility for Election Changes
• Temporary Increase in the Age of Qualifying Dependents

As a reminder, claims for 2020 must be submitted by the IRS deadline of Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

Eligible dates of service for anyone with a remaining balance in their account are Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020.

Learn More:

• How to Use Your FSA
• Accessing Your Explanation of Benefits

Questions about your FSA? Contact Esther Scarpello, UNO Benefits Manager, at escarpello@unomaha.edu.

WageWorks can be reached directly at 1.877.924.3967.

Your Carry Over Amount is Increased

All unused funds from 2020 in your Health Care Flexible Spending Account and/or your Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account will now carry over to 2021.

Similarly, 2021 contributions to either your Health Care Flexible Spending Account or your Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account will carry over to the following 2022 plan year. No action is necessary – the funds will automatically carryover.

Health Equity/WageWorks is in the process of making these funds available for 2021 and should have these funds available for participants soon.

Even if you did not re-enroll in a Health Care Flexible Spending Account and/or a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account for this year (2021), you may still be able to use the funds remaining in your account from your 2020 contributions.

An employee may waive their right to receive the Carryover Benefits. Additionally, an employee may also want to waive the Carryover Benefits for their Health Care Flexible Spending Account if the employee intends to make contributions to a Health Savings Account (“HSA”) for an upcoming year.

If you wish to waive your Carryover Benefits, please contact UNO's campus benefits office by emailing Esther Scarpello at escarpello@unomaha.edu.

More Flexibility for Election Changes

For the 2021 plan year, prospective election changes to your contribution amount to either your Health Care Flexible Spending Account or your Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account can be made without a qualifying life event. This allows enrollment, disenrollment, and changing of election amounts in 2021, without the need for a qualifying life event. If you wish to make changes to your 2021 election amounts, please contact your campus benefits office.

Elections cannot be reduced to an amount less than your year-to-date contributions or reimbursements.

Temporary Increase in the Age of Qualifying Dependents

If you had a qualifying dependent who turned (or will turn) 13 during the 2020 or 2021 plan years, you are now able to use any unused funds from 2020 for qualifying expenses for that child until they turn 14. To qualify for this relief, enrollment in the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan in 2020 is required.

It is our hope that these changes will be beneficial to our employees and their families.

How to Use Your FSA

To get reimbursed, dates of service must have been incurred during the calendar year for 2020. Please do not use your card to submit 2020 claims after Dec. 31, 2020. The card can only be used in the current calendar year.

To check your balance and/or submit a claim, please take the following actions:

• Log on to Firefly. For help with user names or passwords, call 402.554.4357.
• Click on the Employee Self Service (ESS) Tab.
• Under the ESS Benefits heading, click the Flexible Spending Account tile.

This will launch your WageWorks account into another window. If you do not see this loading, check your internet settings. The pop-up blocker must be turned off for the account to launch.

For questions concerning your Flexible Spending Account(s), please contact WageWorks at 1.877.924.3967 or the Benefits team at 402.554.3660.

Accessing Explanation of Benefits

UMR

Employees enrolled in a University of Nebraska UMR medical plan for 2020 may go to www.umr.com and select the Login/Register button in the upper right hand corner of the page. Once logged in, employees will be able to print out/save their Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) for the entire year by clicking on the claims button and entering the corresponding time period. You may also contact UMR for a copy of your EOBs and the EOBs of your eligible dependents (if applicable) by calling 1.888.592.8963.

Ameritas

Employees enrolled in the University of Nebraska Ameritas dental plan for 2020 may go to www.ameritas.com and select the Account Access link in the upper right hand corner of the page. Once logged in, employees will be able to print out/save their Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) for the entire year by clicking on the claims button and entering the corresponding time period. You may also contact Ameritas for a copy of your EOBs and the EOBs of your eligible dependents (if applicable) by calling 1.800.487.5553.

Prescriptions

A summary of all prescriptions for the entire year may be obtained through your pharmacy, however due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines, you will need to make this request in person.