Health & Wellness

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) 

The University of Alaska partners with ASIFlex to provide three FSAs to UA employees including a Health Care FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and Limited Purpose FSA. These are all use-it-or-lose-it meaning funds must be used in the fiscal year/plan year they are elected.

Important note on the Dependent Care FSA:
The IRS maximum contribution is based on the calendar year even though the funds must be used in our plan year (July 1 - June 30 each year). 

 

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Enrollment

  • Benefit-eligible employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week
  • Temporary Employees are not eligible (visit the temporary employee webpage for eligible benefits)

New Benefit-eligible Employees 

  • Review the new employee webpage
  • 30 day deadline from hire date to enroll or opt out
  • If no new employee form submitted, the employee will not be enrolled in an FSA

Current Benefit-eligible Employees - Life Event

Coverage Begin Dates

New Employees - First Day Coverage

  • Submit form by 5:00pm on the Thursday prior to the end of their first pay period 
  • If submitted later but within the 30 day requirement, coverage begins on the first day of the pay period the form is submitted

Current Employee - Day of Life Event

  • Submit form on or before the day of the event
  • If submitted after the day of the event but within the 30 day requirement (60 for birth/adoption), coverage begins on the day the forms is submitted

Coverage End Dates

End of the Pay Period
  • Coverage will end at the end of the pay period in which an employee (1) separates from the University or (2) ends coverage due to a life event
  • Review our Arrears FAQ page for more information
  • Employees can view arrears balance at any time on  > "Employee Dashboard" > "Arrears Balance" (located on the right side under the blue timesheet button).

 

 

 

FSA Plan Basics

Health Care FSA

Maximum Contributions

$3,400 from July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027

Limited Use

  • Lower taxes by setting aside portion of income pre-tax
  • Covers medical, prescription, dental, and vision out-of-pocket expenses only

Plan Compatibility

Compatible

  • Premium & Copay Medical, HDHP
  • Premium & Basic Dental
  • Vision
  • Dependent Care FSA

Incompatible

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Limited Purpose FSA

Limited Purpose FSA

Maximum Contributions

$3,400 from July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027

Limited Use

  • Lower taxes by setting aside portion of income pre-tax
  • Covers dental and vision expenses only
  • Must be enrolled in a UA Health Savings Account (HSA) to enroll in a LP FSA

Plan Compatibility

Required

  • Health Savings Account (HSA)

Compatible

  • HDHP
  • Premium & Basic Dental
  • Vision
  • Dependent Care FSA
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)

Incompatible

  • Health Care FSA

Dependent Care FSA

Maximum Contributions

$7,500 from July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027

Limited Use

  • Lower taxes by setting aside portion of income pre-tax
  • Covers daycare expenses only
  • Children must be under 13 years old

Plan Compatibility

Compatible

  • Premium & Copay Medical, HDHP
  • Premium & Basic Dental
  • Vision
  • Health Care FSA
  • Limited Purpose FSA
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)

Incompatible

  • None

Biweekly rates are based on the employee's election.

1-800-659-3035

  • Having issues logging into the AsiFlex portal?
  • Wanting to understand what is considered a qualified expense?

TouchCare

1-866-486-8242 | assist@touchcare.com

  • Comparing UA medical plans for the best option medically/financially
  • Price comparisons for services (like an x-ray)
  • Assistance with medical billing - general questions on bills, advocacy with Premera on incorrect bills, etc.

UA Benefits Team


FSA Plan Details

Automatically Generated for Health Care and Limited Purpose FSAs

  • Mailed out automatically
  • No debit card option for Dependent Care FSA. Employees request reimbursement online on .

ASIFlex cardless pay is available 

  • Sign into your account
  • Click on the FSA store shopping link
  • Shop the FSA store and place products in the cart
  • Checkout and choose the "ASIFlex cardless pay" payment option

Health Care and Limited Purpose FSA - All Funds Front Loaded

  • Full amount provided on day 1 of coverage
  • Can use the full amount even if the employee has not contributed that much via payroll deduction

Dependent Care FSA - Funds Available as Payroll Deposits

  • Funds only available after each payroll deduction
  • Employee can only use the funds they have deposited up to that point in time

Debit Card or Online Reimbursement Request

  • Can use the debit card for charges against the Health Care and Limited Purpose FSA
  • Can request reimbursement against any FSA online

Must be able to Substantiate Each Charge

Funds Cannot Be Accessed after June 30

This is an IRS regulation on all Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).

  • Must use the funds in the plan year they are set aside in (July 1 - June 30)
  • No rollover/carry over of unused funds
  • No access after June 30 of the plan year

Can Submit for Reimbursement Until September 30

  • Must be for services rendered on or before June 30 of the plan year

Cannot Use Funds on FIPs

  • Funds can be use for tax-qualified dependents
  • Funds cannot be used for non-tax-qualified dependents (i.e. FIPs and children of FIPs who have not been officially adopted)

Deposits Made Biweekly

  • UA pays 2 weeks in arrears
  • Contributions are deposited with each biweekly paycheck
  • It is common to expect a small delay for the initial deposit before ASIFlex receives an employee's first deposit (up to 4 weeks since UA pays 2 weeks in arrears)


FORMS 

 


RESOURCES

COBRA

External Resources