ELIZABETH AND JAMES NEWBURY Eyeglasses in color PN03

Question. What is a medical Flexible Spending Account?
Answer. A flexible spending account, or FSA, is one of the best new ways to save and spend when it comes to your medical expenses. An employer offers the FSA plan to their employees, which allows them to deduct a portion of their income, before payroll taxes, to a special account that can be used to cover a variety of medical expenses.

Question. What expenses are covered with an FSA?
Answer. Expenses that are covered are usually those which a health plan or insurance do not cover, such as deductibles, doctor visit co-pays, or coninsurance. In some flexible spending accounts, other medical expenses beyond health plan coverage, like over-the-counter drugs or dental/vision costs, are covered.

Question. How do I use my FSA benefits?
Answer. Flexible spending accounts are used by paper claim forms, or by use of a flexible spending account debit card, more frequently known as a Flexcard.

Question. Where can I use a Flexcard?
Answer. A Flexcard is used in the same fashion as a standard bank-issued debit card, as many of them bear a Visa?or MasterCard?logo on them.

Question. How long does a flexible spending account last?
Answer. An FSA typically lasts for one year, or until a time when the coverage would end (end of employment, for example). Because of this, it is important to plan ahead for how much should be allocated to the flexible spending account based on medical expense needs.