Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

What you need to know

With the healthcare FSA, you can set aside money from your paycheck to use for doctor visits, prescriptions, dental care, vision care, and other eligible healthcare expenses.

Your contributions go into your account pretax. This allows you to pay for these expenses with tax-free dollars and reduces your taxable income.

You can participate in the healthcare FSA if you enroll in the Total Health PPO Plan or you waive Sandia medical coverage.

Enrollment and Contributions

You can contribute $100 to $3,050 each year to your healthcare FSA.

You need to enroll each year, during annual Open Enrollment. You also have the opportunity to enroll as a new hire during your benefits enrollment window.

Sandia does not contribute to your FSA account.

Using Your FSA Balance

Sandia works with our medical plan vendors to administer your FSA; check out the details through HR Solutions:

BCBSNM plan participants (BCBSNM manages your account with BenefitWallet)
UnitedHealthcare plan participants
Kaiser Permanente plan participants

More about the FSA

If you are not enrolled in a Sandia medical plan, you can contribute to the healthcare FSA! Your account is administered by PayFlex.

Your total contribution election is available on January 1, and you can use your FSA balance as soon as you incur an eligible expense.

Your account comes with a debit card, which makes it easy to pay for eligible services.

Be sure to keep your receipts as you may be required to substantiate your claims.

With the FSA, “Carryover Provision” applies

For 2023, you were able to carry over up to $570 in unused FSA funds and forfeited any amounts above that amount on Jan. 1, 2023. For 2024, you’ll be able to carry over up to $610 in unused FSA funds and use that money all year. You’ll forfeit any unused balance above $610 on Jan. 1, 2024. Keep in mind that if you switch from the Total Health PPO Plan to the Health Savings Plan during Open Enrollment, you won’t be able to use any money left in your health care flexible spending account during the next plan year.

You can choose to contribute the IRS maximum (currently $3,050 per year), even if you’re carrying over money from the current year. And your full FSA election for the upcoming year—including any amount you carry over from the current year—will be available on Jan. 1.

Contacts and Resources

BCBSNM: BenefitWallet

855-236-8600
mybenefitwalletsite.com/sandia

BCBSNM Apps

PayFlex Apps

Quick Tip

An account for dependent day care expenses, too

With Sandia’s dependent care flexible spending account , you can set aside $100 to $5,000 each year, tax-free, to help pay for things like before-school programs, nanny care, and elder care expenses.