The Daily Bulletin

Open enrollment for the 2022 NYS Flex Spending Account (FSA) begins Tuesday, November 2, and ends at 10:00 p.m. Monday, November 29. The program helps eligible state employees save money on necessary health- or dependent-care expenses because the money set aside in these accounts is not subject to federal, state, or Social Security taxes.

The Flex Spending Account offers three benefits:

The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) lets employees set aside any amount from $100 to $2,750 for the 2022 plan year to pay for health-care expenses that are not reimbursed by their health insurance or other benefit plan. Please note: only medically necessary medical, hospital, dental, vision, hearing, and prescription drug expenses for the employee, their spouse, and eligible dependents can be reimbursed by the HCSA.

The Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) allows families to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax income for eligible custodial child care, elder care, or disabled dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and, if married, their spouse, to work.

The Adoption Advantage Account allows employees to set aside up to $14,440 to pay for expenses related to the adoption of an eligible child with pre-tax dollars. This benefit is available to M/C employees and those represented by CSEA, PEF, UUP, NYSCOPBA, and PBA.

If you wish to take advantage of this benefit, please submit your application for enrollment online or by telephone at (800) 358-7202. You will need your NYS EMPLID number, which is located on your pay stub, to complete your application. The deadline for 2022 enrollment is Monday, November 29, 2021, at 10:00 p.m. and is strictly enforced. Please be sure to enroll by November 29. If you are enrolled for the 2021 plan year, you must re-enroll to continue your benefits in 2022.

Important note: Employees who do not work for 26 consecutive pay periods should consider electing a shorter time frame for their deductions, so they do not lose coverage while off the payroll. For example, faculty members who are not paid through the summer should elect to have all deductions taken in the spring semester to have coverage for all of 2022.