COVID-19 & FSA

The COVID-19/Consolidated Appropriations Act bill (signed into law on December 27th, 2020) allows temporary plan revisions for flexible spending accounts. The changes are:

• Allow Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to carryover unused benefits up to the full annual elected amount from 2019-20 year to 2020-21 plan year (previously limited to $500 maximum for Healthcare and $0 for Dependent Care).
• Temporarily extending the maximum age of eligible dependents from “under 13” to “under 14” for Dependent Care FSAs.
• Allowing plans to permit a prospective change in election amounts for Health and Dependent Care FSAs for plan years ending in 2021 (previously set to expire December 31, 2020).

The City’s Benefits Office is working to understand the details and confirm new plan effective dates.  HealthEquity (formerly WageWorks) will not have these provisions updated in their system prior to January 1st, 2021, but they are acting quickly on behalf of the City.  More details will be communicated in the coming weeks, but we wanted to ensure some information was shared before December 31^st.

Questions can be directed to the Benefits Office via email at benefits@portlandoregon.gov.

If you’re actively enrolled in the Healthcare and/or Dependent Care FSA plans, your claim period to spend 2019-20 funds has been extended until December 31, 2020 (previously June 30, 2020).  

Prior to December 31, 2020 you may enroll or increase your HealthCare FSA or Dependent Care FSA election without a qualifying life event (you may increase as long as you have not spent more than you have contributed) 1st of the month following date of the request. 

For more information on changes due to COVID-19, how to make or increase your election and FAQs see FSA News, Updates & FAQs.

View a list of Healthcare FSA Eligible Expenses

View a list of Dependent Care FSA Eligible Expenses