Health Accounts

Bowling Green State University offers two different types of Health Accounts that will allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for out-of-pocket expenses for themselves and their eligible dependents, even if those dependents are not covered under the BGSU insurance plans.  These expenses can be for medical, prescription, dental, or vision services that are not covered or paid in full by the plan as long as they are qualified expenses according to the IRS.

If you select Health Plan A, you are eligible to participate in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).  These plans are administered by FlexSave.  If you select Health Plan B, you will automatically be enrolled for a Health Savings Account through PNC Bank and are no longer eligible for a health care FSA.  You have the option to contribute to the health savings account, however this is not required.   Please click on the corresponding account tabs for more detailed information.

The Bowling Green State University Health Savings Account is administered by PNC Bank through the PNC BeneFit Plus Program. If you enroll in Medical Plan B, you will be receiving employer contributions to the Health Savings Account. At the time of initial election, Human Resources will begin your account setup through PNC BeneFit Plus. When that is completed you will receive an email notification from PNC BeneFit Plus to finalize your account activation through the online portal. If you do not complete the finalization of your account setup within 90 days from account initialization, you will forfeit any employer contributions.

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are only available to employees covered under a High Deductible Health Plan such as the BGSU Health Plan B, and allow you to control how you save, invest, and use your healthcare dollars.  The HSA is a bank account but the money in the account is used to pay for healthcare related expenses.  The High Deductible Health Plan is the health plan coverage, and the HSA is a companion savings account that is opened for you based on your enrollment in Health Plan B.  Or, you can save the money in your HSA to use for qualified expenses when you retire.  It’s your choice.   If you leave Health Plan B or BGSU once you have money in the HSA, that account is yours and stays with you.

To be eligible for the Health Savings Account:

• You must be enrolled in Health Plan B
• You cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return
• You cannot be covered by a spouse’s Flexible Spending Account
• You cannot be covered by any other health plan unless it is an HSA-qualified plan, and
• You cannot be enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B, or Part D

For 2024, the IRS limits contributions for a Health Savings Account to be $4,150 for a single and $8,300 for a family.  If you are 55 years of age or older, the IRS does allow for a $1,000 additional catch-up contribution for the year.  These contribution limits include both employee and employer contributions.

For 2025, the IRS limits contributions for a Health Savings Account to be $4,300 for a single and $8,550 for a family.  If you are 55 years of age or older, the IRS does allow for a $1,000 additional catch-up contribution for the year.  These contribution limits include both employee and employer contributions.

For additional details regarding Health Savings Accounts eligibility requirements, please review IRS Publication 969 or speak with your tax advisor.

Things to consider:

• You can use the funds in your HSA to pay for the health expenses of dependents covered under another health plan, as long as they are eligible dependents as defined by the IRS.
• You can only spend the money that’s actually in your account.  If your expenses are more than your balance, you need to pay the remaining cost another way, such as personal check or cash.  You can request reimbursement after you have accumulated more money in your account.
• Each time you use your HSA, save your receipt in case the IRS requests that you prove your claim(s) was for a qualified expense.  If you use funds for a nonqualified expense, you will pay taxes and penalties on the ineligible amounts.
• Remember to assign a beneficiary for your account within the PNC BeneFit Plus website, as your HSA is an inheritable asset.
• The money always belongs to you, even if you leave BGSU.
• The funds carry over from year to year so that you never have to worry about losing your money.
• If you leave a Flexible Spending Account(FSA) and enroll in Health Plan B with a Health Savings Account(HSA), any unused funds in the FSA will be forfeited.
  
• There are annual contribution limits set by the IRS.  Your contributions in combination with the contributions from BGSU cannot exceed the IRS annual limit.
• If you become no longer enrolled in the BGSU Plan B, the account has a $3.95 monthly fee that you will be responsible for.  The fee is deducted automatically from your HSA account.

For details regarding what expenses are eligible for reimbursement, please review IRS Publication 502.  

If you use funds from your Health Savings Account during a calendar year, you will receive an IRS Form 1099-SA from PNC Bank to assist you with completing IRS Form 8889.   You can also obtain a copy of your 1099-SA electronically by logging into your PNC account.

View more information on the IRS Form 8889 and its requirements    
 

The Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an account in which you set aside pretax dollars for out-of-pocket expenses for yourself and your qualified dependents, even if they are not covered under the BGSU insurance plans. This plan is administered by FlexSave, a subsidiary of Medical Mutual of Ohio. To be eligible to participate in the Flexible Spending Account for Health Care, you cannot be enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan including BGSU Health Plan B.

If you are a benefit eligible employee, you can elect to begin a flexible spending account for health care effective the first of the month following your date of hire/change in family status, or during open enrollment for the following calendar year.  When you enroll for a flexible spending account for health care, you are electing the amount for the remainder of the calendar year, and only that calendar year.  The IRS requires annual re-election to participate in the flexible spending accounts. Therefore during open enrollment each year you must re-elect for the following calendar year.   

To review the dtailed guidelines and potential eligible expenses for a flexible spending account for health care review IRS Publication 969.  

If you are enrolled in BGSU Health Plan A and a Flexible Spending Account for health care, your medical claims are processed by Medical Mutual of Ohio and any patient responsibility will automatically be submitted to FlexSave for reimbursement.  This eliminates the need to file claims and saves you time.

• By electing to have all claims automatically roll to your flexible spending account for health care, you are substantiating that all expenses are not covered by any other insurance plan.
• If you have secondary health insurance and are using a flexible spending account for health care for reimbursement of specific claims, you must elect to waive the automatic rollover feature and submit claims directly as needed.
• If you are not covered under the BGSU Health Plan A and elect a flexible spending account for health care, you do not need to submit a waiver for the rollover, but must submit claims directly as needed.
• All employees enrolled in a flexible spending account for health care will be automatically enrolled for the automated claims rollover feature unless a waiver form is completed and submitted to FlexSave.

Things to consider:

• The total amount of your annual election will be available for reimbursement after the beginning of the calendar year.
• You will be required to provide proof of any eligible unpaid expenses at the time of reimbursement.
• You can elect to have your reimbursement directly deposited into your designated bank account.
• The flexible spending account for health care does have a carryover provision allowing the account to carryover up to $640 ($610 for 2024) of unused funds as of the end of the plan year.  The carryover amount can be used to reimburse eligible expenses during the plan year in which is it carried over to.  Anything in excess the allowed rollover amount unused at the end of the year will be forfeited by law. 
• Your election will be in place for the plan year in which you elect.  If you do not receive pay for one or more of your normal scheduled pay periods during the year, the amount deducted for your account will be increased in subsequent periods in order to meet your annual plan year election, as required by law.
• The maximum amount you can contribute annually is $3,200.00. for 2025 and $3,050 for 2024. 
  
• Claims for the calendar year can be submitted during that calendar year, or up through 90 days following the end of the plan year OR the end of your last day covered by the plan.

A flexible spending account for dependent care is an account that you set aside money into on a pretax basis for out-of-pocket work related child care and elder care expenses. This includes what you pay toward child/dependent care for children up to age 13.  You may also use this account for day care provided to your dependent spouse/parents.  You (and your spouse if married) need to be working to enroll in this program.   This plan is administered by FlexSave, a subsidiary of Medical Mutual of Ohio.   

If you are a benefit eligible employee, you can elect to begin a flexible spending account for dependent care effective the first of the month following your date of hire/change in family status, or during open enrollment for the following calendar year.  When you enroll for a flexible spending account for dependent care, keep in mind that you are electing the amount for the remainder of that calendar year, and only that calendar year.  The IRS requires that you must reelect to have payroll deductions for a flexible spending account each year during open enrollment for the following calendar year.  

Eligible expenses under this account are those that could otherwise be claimed for the Dependent Care Tax Credit on your federal income tax.  The account can be used for licensed nursery schools and child care centers, work-related babysitting in or out of your home, home care specialists for disabled dependents, and home care specialists to care for your children or elders.

Things to consider:

• The amount available for reimbursement at the time you file a claim is the current amount in your account.
• You will be required to provide proof of any eligible expenses at the time of reimbursement.
• You can elect to have your reimbursement directly deposited into your designated bank account.
• The flexible spending account for dependent care does NOT have a carryover provision.
• Your election will be in place for the plan year in which you elect.  If you do not receive pay for one or more of your normal scheduled pay periods during the year, the amount deducted for your pay will be increased in subsequent periods in order to meet your annual plan year election, as required by law.
• The maximum amount you can contribute annually is $5,000.00 per family.
• Both spouses, regardless if they are BGSU employees or not, can participate in the Dependent Care account as separate individuals; however, they cannot exceed the $5,000 IRS maximum per family.
• Claims for the calendar year can be submitted during that calendar year, or up through 90 days following the end of the plan year OR the end of your last day covered by the plan.