HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES
News to Use
Stop here often to see what's new in the world of tax-free employee benefit plans. We'll keep you updated on news from the industry, from regulatory agencies, and from Benefit Resource.
2010-07-08 Health Care Reform: Medical FSAs/HRAs and OTCs (Update)
Click here for information on how your Medical FSA or HRA over-the-counter (OTC) item purchase is affected by the new Health Care Reform Legislation.
2010-05-03 Online Claim Entry
Participants can submit claims online to BRI (if allowed by your Plan). Click here for more information.
Change in mileage rate for use of an automobile to obtain medical care
Effective January 1, 2010, the amount allowed by the IRS for reimbursement of eligible services from a Medical FSA / HRA is 16.5 cents per mile. (For services provided from 1/1 - 12/31/2009, the rate is 24 cents per mile.) The Mileage Certification Log and Claim Form are available on the FSA & HRA Form pages.
QTE Mass Transit and Parking Account tax-free maximums remain the same for 2010
The tax-free limits on the amounts that may be excluded from your income will remain at $230/month for mass transit and $230/month for parking for 2010.
Beniversal Card Use Changes
Effective 7/1/2009, there will be important changes that affect benefit card use at drugstores and pharmacies. In accordance with IRS regulations, the Beniversal Card can only be used at merchants that:
• verify the eligibility of healthcare related purchases including prescriptions and over-the-counter products (click for a list of IIAS merchants), OR
• earn 90% or more of their revenue from the sale of eligible healthcare items (click for a list of 90% merchants)
Email Communication
BRI uses your email address to keep you informed about information relevant to your Plan. Your spam filter should be set to accept the BenefitResource.com domain.
Call in for your account balances—24/7!
Good news for times when you're away from your computer—standing at the doctor's payment window or the pharmacist's counter. Participants can now access account information from any phone at any time by using the IVR. It’s quick, easy and convenient.
• Call (800) 473-9595
• Press 4 for the automated system
• Then just follow the prompts
The Participant Services Department is available Monday through Friday, 8 am - 8 pm (Eastern Time), at (800) 473-9595 to assist you as well.