Flexible Spending Accounts

A flexible spending account, or FSA, administered by Navia Benefit Solutions, allows you to be reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses without having income and Social Security taxes deducted from your account contributions. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center offers two types of FSAs:

Key Information About FSAs

• You must enroll for the full plan year (July 1 to June 30).
• You may change your election amount during the plan year only if you experience a qualifying event such as employment or family status change.
• You estimate your plan expenses for the plan year and enroll in an FSA for that amount. The money deducted from your paycheck will be pre-tax, so you don't pay FICA or income tax.
• "Use it or lose it." You forfeit any FSA funds that are unused at the end of the plan year, so be sure to carefully estimate your medical expenses for the coming year.
• The open enrollment period takes place before the start of each plan year. You must enroll or re-enroll each year in order to participate or continue participating in the plan.
• There is a grace period of two and a half months after the end of the plan year during which you may continue to incur claims. In other words, although the plan year ends on June 30, you may submit claims for expenses incurred through Sept. 15 of that calendar year.
• You cannot combine or transfer funds between your health care and dependent care (day care) FSAs.
• You cannot use FSA funds for expenses incurred by a domestic partner or a domestic partner's child.
• You cannot use FSA funds for expenses that you claim as a federal income tax deduction or credit.
• IRS Flexible Spending Account (FSA) limits are based on a calendar year (January - December) whereas Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center FSA annual election limits are based on a plan year (July 1 - June 30). If your FSA contributions in a given calendar year exceed the IRS limit for that year, the excess contributions will be taxed as regular income. 

Eligible Expenses for FSA Plans

You may claim reimbursement for the expenses of your family members (other than a domestic partner) even if they're not covered by the employer-sponsored medical/vision or dental benefits. Generally, you may use your Dependent Care (Daycare) Flexible Spending Account to pay daycare expenses that make it possible for you to work. Dependent care expenses must satisfy certain criteria to be eligible for reimbursement from your account. Learn more about eligible expenses for Dependent Care FSA plans.

View Navia’s list of eligible expenses for FSA Plans (Select Benefit and choose either Health Care or Day Care FSA)

Health Care FSA: You may use your health care flexible spending account, or FSA, to be reimbursed for health care expenses for yourself and your family that are not paid through another source (such as your medical plan). However, expenses incurred by or for the treatment of a domestic partner or the child of a domestic partner cannot be reimbursed.

The federal government sets the requirements for determining which health care and dependent care (day care) expenses can be reimbursed from funds contributed to your FSA. Learn more about eligible expenses for Healthcare FSA plans.

Dependent Care (Day Care) FSA: Daycare for your children under age 13 or for other qualified dependents (such as a dependent parent or disabled spouse) can be paid from this account if you can claim a deduction for the individual on your federal income tax return.

Submit a Claim

Submit FSA Claim Forms via fax, email, online submission tool, app or mail:

Navia Benefit Solutions
P.O. Box 53250
Bellevue, WA 98015-3250
Fax: 425.451.7002/866.535.9227
Email: claims@naviabenefits.com

Required Claim Information

To get reimbursed for qualifying out-of-pocket expenses, you must submit a claim form to Navia and attach proper documentation. The documentation must show the date of service, cost, and the type of expense you are claiming. Bills from providers or Explanation of Benefits statements from your insurance company are acceptable forms of documentation. Canceled checks and credit or debit card receipts usually are not.

Getting Reimbursed

• You can begin submitting claims for health care expenses when your eligible expenses are at least $25, regardless of the balance in your FSA account. You will be reimbursed for the amount of your request up to the total amount allocated to your account for the plan year.
• You can begin submitting claims for dependent care (daycare) expenses when both your account balance and your eligible expenses are at least $25; if your request exceeds your balance, however, the remainder will be paid as funds become available.
• Following the end of the plan year (June 30), you have until October 31 to claim reimbursement of expenses incurred during the previous plan year (and the 2 1/2-month grace period). There is no minimum claim amount required for claims filed after the end of the plan year.
• Claims are processed weekly and reimbursement checks will be mailed to your home or deposited in your bank account if you have signed up for the direct deposit option.

FSA Contribution Amounts

The plan year runs July 1 to June 30. Effective July 1, 2023 the contributions are as follows:

Health Care FSA:

• Maximum: $3,050/year ($237.50/month)
• Minimum: $60/year

Dependent Care (Day Care) FSA:

• Maximum: $5,000/year ($416.66/month) for single employees or married employees who are filing jointly; $2,500/year ($208.33/month) for married employees who are filing separately
• Minimum: $60/year

When Your Eligibility Ends

Eligibility for the FSA plan is contingent on your employment and continued eligibility for benefits. If you terminate employment (or become ineligible for benefits) before the end of the plan year (June 30), your eligibility in the FSA ends.

• You may incur eligible expenses up to the end of the month in which your benefits end. For example, if your last day of employment is March 15, you can submit FSA claims for expenses incurred no later than March 31.
• You have until Oct. 31 of that year to submit a claim for those expenses as long as they were incurred during your benefits-eligible period.
• If you want to continue your FSA(s) after your employment (or your benefits eligibility) ends, you can do so by continuing to make the monthly contributions through the end of the plan year. Information about this will be included in your COBRA packet. Alternatively, you can pre-pay the difference between your annual election amount and your year-to-date contribution from your final paycheck. Daycare FSA plans cannot be continued through COBRA or pre-paid on final paycheck.