You must enroll each year during Open Enrollment in order to participate in the MERA or Dependent Care FSAs for the following year. The amount you designate will be deducted from your paycheck in equal amounts throughout the plan year. New employees are eligible to participate upon hire.  

The Wesleyan University MERA (Medical Reimbursement Account) and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts are administered by Flores & Associates. When you enroll, new participant information will be mailed to your home. You will be issued a debit card to charge your expenses. Your debit card will be reloaded each year you participate in the plan. Once you incur an expense, if you don't charge it to your card, you can request reimbursement from your account. Keep your receipts and explanations of benefits (EOBs) in the event the vendor or the IRS requests additional information on your transactions. 

The IRS requires substantiation for all claims.  Flores & Associates has set up a copay matching program to help limit the receipts needed.  However, when a purchase does not match a set copay amount, a receipt may be needed to verify the expense as qualifying under the MERA plan.  If you do not supply a receipt when asked, your card may be suspended until you resolve the claim to ensure compliance with IRS claims substantiation requirements.  This is true even if the claim in question was incurred in the prior plan year.

If you file a request for reimbursement of a non-eligible expense, the request will be denied by Flores & Associates. If the expense is deemed ineligible after the expense is already paid, you will be required to reimburse your account for that transaction. If you fail to reimburse the account, you may be required to pay income taxes.  

The IRS regulates Flexible Spending Accounts under IRC 125. According to the IRS guidelines, funds that are not claimed during the plan year are forfeited to the plan. This is called the “use it or lose it” clause. The unused funds are retained by the plan sponsor, your employer, and can be used to offset administrative costs of the plan. Employers sponsoring FSA plans may allow employees to use their unused account balances to pay for qualified medical expenses incurred by March 15, 2024 and submitted for reimbursement by April 15, 2024.  

Yes. All eligible out-of-pocket expenses incurred by you and your tax-qualified dependents can be reimbursed by your MERA even if not enrolled under Wesleyan’s medical plan.