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FSAFEDS
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Please send your comments on this program to fsa@opm.gov.
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FSAFEDS Open Season for 2005 Plan Year
The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) Open Season begins
on Monday, November 8, 2004 and runs through Monday, December 13, 2004.
Unlike FEHB enrollments, enrollments in FSAFEDS do not carry over from
year to year. Employees wishing to enroll in FSAFEDS for 2005 must make
a positive enrollment during Open Season, even if they are currently enrolled
in the Program.
BAL 04-803 provides important
information to agency benefits officers about the upcoming open season,
including how to order materials and request additional information from
FSAFEDS.
FSAFEDS Billing Process
We've received some questions from agencies about paying FSAFEDS administrative
fees on behalf of their enrolled employees. Therefore, we just issued
BAL 04-802 which explains
that process in more detail.
Added July 20, 2004
BAL 04-801 discusses
changes in FSAFEDS Program for the 2004 Plan Year
Based on feedback from the Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) community,
Director Kay Coles James decided to increase the amount that employees
could elect for a health care flexible spending account (HCFSA) from $3,000
to $4,000. In addition, agency CHCOs agreed that an increase in fees is
warranted, since coverage for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and products
began January 1, 2004. For the 2004 Plan Year, the fee for a HCFSA will
be $7.50 per participant per month. The Dependent Care Flexible Spending
Account fee remains the same, at one and a half percent (1.5%) of the
elected amount. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2004, Public Law 108-136, signed on November 24, 2003, requires all Executive
Branch agencies, as well as other employing entities of the Government
which provide the FSAFEDS program to its employees, to cover the administrative
fee(s) on behalf of their employees.
Added February 17, 2004
Billing Process Instructions Issued for FSA Fees Paid By Agencies
As announced in BAL 03-804
on June 16, 2003, OPM and OMB have concluded that, assuming no specific
constraint in a particular agency's authorizing or funding statute, agencies
may use their tax savings to pay FSA administrative fees for their employees.
On June 13, 2003, OPM Director Kay Coles James sent a memorandum to heads
of departments and agencies urging the payment of fees. As we noted in
BAL 03-804, all agencies must inform OPM of their decisions on whether
or not to pay the fees no later than June 27, 2003. BAL
03-805, published June 19, 2003, provides billing process information
and a form for notifying OPM of your agency decision on payment of fees.
Added June 19, 2003
Enrollments Begin for the FSA Program
We are very pleased to let you know that the Federal Flexible Spending
Account Program (FSAFEDS) began accepting enrollments on June 16. As you
know, we delayed accepting enrollments while we considered whether agencies
had the authority to pay the negotiated administrative fees on behalf
of their employees. On June 13, 2003, our Director, Kay Coles James, sent
a memorandum (attached to this BAL) to heads of departments and agencies
urging the payment of these fees. We strongly encourage you to pay the
modest FSAFEDS fees on behalf of your employees. See BAL
03-804, published June 16, 2003.
Added June 17, 2003
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and other Child Care Subsidies
Since we published BALs 03-306
and 03-801 we've heard from
a number of human resource and payroll administration staff asking questions
and expressing concerns about agency responsibilities for employees who
are eligible for an agency's child care subsidy program and who also make
an election to participate in a dependent care flexible spending account
(DCFSA). BAL 03-803, published
June 3, 2003, provides additional background and guidance on this issue.
Added June 17, 2003
Flexible Spending Account Program Officially Extends Open Season
While Open Season has been in full effect since May 19, actual enrollment
in the FSAFEDS Program as been delayed to allow us to complete our review
of agency options regarding administrative fees associated with the FSAFEDS
Program. We expect this review to be completed in the near future, at
which time we will begin to accept FSA enrollments. However, due to this
delay in the accepting of enrollments, we have officially extended the
FSAFEDS Open Season from June 20 until June 27, 2003. For information
on the FSAFEDS Program please visit www.fsafeds.com
or by calling our toll free line at 1-877-FSAFEDS (372-3337).
Added June 9, 2003
Copies of All Mail Sent to the FSAINFO List Now Available
We have posted an archive of all items sent to the FSAINFO distribution
list at www.opm.gov/insure/pretax/fsa/fsainfo.
This email list provides up-to-date FSA information for HR professionals.
Follow this link for instructions on how to join
the FSAINFO list.
Added May 23, 2003
FSA HR Email Address
The Federal FSA Program has set up a new email address for agency human
resource staff to communicate with SHPS. That address is FSAFEDS-HR@shps.net.
Please use this address to order communication materials (as they become
available) and to report any agency issues or concerns. Individual employees
should still address their questions to FSAFEDS@shps.net.
Added May 23, 2003
Flexible Spending Accounts Program Open Season Information
The Federal FSA Program (FSAFEDS) Open Season begins Monday, May 19. Our
web site is up and SHPS Benefits Counselors are ready to accept calls.
Through the web site, we are taking the names of people who are interested
in enrolling in the program, but we are unable to take the actual enrollments
at this time. In response to Agency-level inquiries and in anticipation
of possible Congressional action, we've accelerated our review of agency
options regarding administrative fees associated with the FSAFEDS Program,
as well as necessary changes to billing structures in place for the 2003
Plan Year. We expect this review to be completed shortly, at which time
we will begin to accept FSA enrollments. See
BAL 03-802
Added May 19, 2003
Program Brochure Now Available
SHPS and OPM are issuing a tri-fold brochure designed to introduce Federal
employees to this program. The first hard copies are being made available
May 2 at the Public Service Recognition Week ceremonies on the Mall in
Washington, DC, and instructions will be issued shortly for ordering hard
copies. You may download electronic versions of the brochure now —
[PDF Version (508K File)] [Web (accessible) Version]
Added May 2, 2003
Detailed Program Information Issued to Agencies
We have issued a Benefits Information Letter providing extensive information
on the launch and administration of the Flexible Spending Accounts program.
Please note that this letter mentions a new FSA web site. This site is
not yet operational -- we will post a notice here when it is available.
See BAL 03-801 of April 25,
2003.
Added April 25, 2003
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