Frequently Asked Questions

Qualifying expenses are those for medical care for yourself (the participant), your spouse (if filing a joint tax return) and your qualified child or qualified relative. You may also claim medical expenses you incur and pay to medical providers of a child for whom you don't get the tax exemption due to a divorce decree, as long as one parent claims the child as a tax dependent. (The tax exemption may switch from year to year between parents. As long as one parent gets the tax exemption, the medical expenses you pay on behalf of the child to the medical provider qualify under the HCSA.)

OTC drugs and medicines purchased on or after January 1, 2020 do not require a prescription and are eligible for reimbursement. Just submit a claim with a copy of the merchant itemized store receipt showing the store name, date of purchase, a description of each item, and dollar amount. Note: If OTC drug and medicines were purchased prior to January 1, 2020 a physician prescription is required.

Items such as vitamins, herbs or nutritional supplements are considered to be expenses incurred for general good health purposes and do not typically qualify for reimbursement through your FSA . In order to claim these items, you must have:

• An existing or imminent medical condition;
• A pre-printed receipt from the provider documenting the purchase;
• A physician diagnosis and prescription for the specific item(s) if it is a vitamin, herb or nutritional supplement.

Generally, no. Items such as those listed above are typically considered to be utilized for general good health purposes and, as such, typically do not qualify for the Medical FSA. However, if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that necessitates the purchase of these items and you would not have purchased them if it were not for the medical condition, then they can qualify for your Medical FSA. To claim these items, you must have a letter of diagnosis and recommendation/prescription for these items to qualify under your Medical FSA. This letter is valid for 12 months from issue date. A sample letter of medical necessity is available by following this link.

Transportation that is primarily for and essential to obtaining medical care.

• Bus, taxi, train or plane fares or ambulance services,
• Transportation expenses of a parent who must travel with a child who needs medical care,
• Transportation expenses of a nurse or other person who can give injections, medications and other treatment required by a patient who is traveling to get medical care and is unable to travel alone, and
• Transportation expenses for regular visits to see a mentally ill dependent, if these visits are recommended as part of treatment.

Mileage is reimbursable for use of a car for medical reasons. You can also include parking fees and tolls. You can add these fees and tolls to your expenses whether claiming actual car expenses or using the standard mileage rate.

You can submit claims:

1. Via the ASIFlex mobile app
2. Through your online account at asiflex.com
3. Manual claim form

ASIFlex has provided a detailed list of Eligible Expenses under the Resources tab. Please review. If you have additional questions, please contact ASI. The list provides a general overview and is not an all-inclusive list.

The IRS does not recognize a qualified domestic partner for tax purposes. Qualified Domestic Partners may not file a joint tax return and expenses of a Qualified Domestic Partner do not generally qualify as a dependent under the definition of a "qualifying relative" under Internal Revenue Code Section 152. If you are unsure, you may confirm eligibility by using the Internal Revenue Code worksheet for determining dependent status found on page 20 of IRS Publication 501.

The FSA is an active employee benefit. If you sever employment with the Iowa State University mid-year you have two options. Option one is to claim expenses that were incurred while you were actively employed. If you select this option, you have until April 30th of the current plan year to submit claims. Option two is to elect COBRA coverage, and pay the monthly contribution amount on a post-tax basis. This option allows you to extend your period of coverage for the remainder of the plan year.

No. You may file claims for services provided after the period of service claimed has been completed. The service must be provided that gives rise to the expense. Expenses are not valid based upon when paid.

No. The Internal Revenue Code disqualifies expenses that include overnight care. The charges cannot be prorated to include the portion that was for care during the day while you were working.

No. The Internal Revenue Code does not allow the tax exemption on expenses incurred for education.

If the primary purpose of these camps is for care and well-being in order for you (or you and your spouse if married) to be gainfully employed, they may qualify. If ASIFlex cannot independently verify the primary purpose of the camp, ASIFlex will request a statement that the primary purpose is for care and well-being and not for educational/instructional purposes. Summer school is considered educational and not eligible for reimbursement. Overnight camps are not eligible for reimbursement.

Your work -related expenses must be for the care of one or more members of your home who are qualifying persons. You must provide over ½ of the qualifying person’s support. The qualifying person cannot have income in excess of the Federal exemption amount.

A Qualifying Dependent is:
Your qualifying child under the age of 13, who shares the same residence with you, or your spouse or qualifying child or qualifying relative who is physically or mentally unable to care for him/herself who shares the same residence with you and has income less than the Federal exemption amount.

If you are divorced, you must have physical custody of your child for over half of the year, in order to be eligible for reimbursements through your flexible spending account. If custody is exactly equal then neither parent can use the childcare expenses. The parent who has more than 50% custody is eligible for the dependent care regardless of who claims the tax exemption.

Physical or mental incapacity must be disabling. Persons who are not able to dress, clean or feed themselves because of physical or mental problems are considered unable to care for themselves. Persons with mental defects who require constant attention to prevent them from injuring themselves or others are considered unable to care for themselves.

Your dependent care provider does not have to be licensed, unless they care for enough individuals to require licensing in your State. They must provide you with their Tax ID Number or Social Security Number. You will need this number for the required filing of Form 2441 (or Schedule 2, if filing a 1040A) with your Federal tax return.

Additionally, the care provider cannot be a relative of yours that lives in the same household or your dependent that is under the age of 19 (even if they don't live in the same household).

No. Expenses for education do not qualify for your Dependent Care FSA. However, if you are charged for “after-care” for the portion of the day that your child attends the school that is charged for care and well-being, this charge does qualify for the Dependent Care FSA. Your provider must provide you with support for the charges for the portion that is specifically for care and well-being.

Expenses for dependent care no longer qualify for the DCAP on the day your child turns age 13 unless they have been certified as incapable of self-care. Care for dependents incapable of self-care qualifies to any age as long as it is for care and well-being while you are working or looking for work.

No. Only charges for care and well-being in order for you to work or look for work qualify for your DCAP. Separately billed charges for food, transportation, activity fees, etc. do not qualify.

• Download the free app
• Snap a picture of your documentation and submit claims via the app
• Check your account balance 24/7

• Scan your documentation and sign in to submit claims online
• View your account balance statement 24/7
• Read your messages, manage preferences

• Download a claim form from asiflex.com
• Follow the instructions to complete and fax your claim with your documentation
• Keep a copy of the claim and your fax confirmation page for your records

• Download a claim form from asiflex.com
• Follow the instructions to complete and mail your claim with your documentation
• Keep a copy for your records

All requests for reimbursement must be filed by April 30th, following the end of the previous plan year. After that date, you will lose any funds left in your account.

Your authorization for direct deposit remains in effect with ASI until you change or revoke that authorization. ASI does retain direct deposit information from Plan Year to Plan Year unless notified of a change by the participant.

You may change your direct deposit information online after signing into your account.

You may also complete and sign a Direct Deposit Form located in the Forms section accessible on the home page of this website under the Resources tab.

No. You are responsible for notifying ASI of any changes required for direct deposit of your FSA claims.

You may view your remaining balance and account activity via the secure mobile app or login to your online account.

Except as specified in this section, your election under the Plan is irrevocable for the Plan Year. These are the changes generally allowed. For specifics for your plan, please refer to your Plan Document or Summary Plan Description. You may usually change your election if you, your spouse, or a dependent experience an event listed below which results in a gain or loss of eligibility for coverage under the HCSA or DCAP or a similar plan maintained by your spouse's employer or one of your dependent's employer and your desired election change corresponds with that gain or loss of coverage. Events 1 - 4 apply to the HCSA Plan and the DCAP.

1. Your legal marital status changes through marriage, divorce, death or annulment.
2. Your number of dependents changes by reason of birth, adoption (or placement for adoption), or death. If your child no longer qualifies for dependent care because he or she turned 13, then that is a loss of a dependent under the DCAP, but not under any of the other plans.
3. You, your spouse or any of your dependents have a change in employment status that affects eligibility under your employer’s Flexible Benefit Plan or a plan maintained by your spouse's or any dependent's employer. If you terminate or take a leave of absence from your employer, then you must be gone at least 31 days for termination or leave of absence to qualify.
4. The following events apply to the HCSA Plan but not the DCAP:
   • You are served with a judgment, decree or court order, including a qualified medical child support order regarding coverage for a dependent. If the order requires you to pay for medical expenses not paid by insurance for a Dependent child, then you may add or increase coverage under the HCSA Plan. If the order requires that another person pay for medical expenses not paid by insurance for the Dependent child, then you may drop or reduce coverage under the HCSA Plan.
   • If you, your spouse or a dependent becomes entitled to and covered under Medicare or Medicaid, you may drop or reduce coverage under the HCSA.
   • If you, your spouse or a dependent loses eligibility and coverage under Medicare or Medicaid, you may add or increase coverage under the HCSA.
5. The following events apply to the DCAP but not the HCSA:
   • You may change your election to correspond with a change made under another employer-sponsored plan as long as the change made under the other plan was permitted by IRS regulations or was made for a period of coverage that is different from your employer’s Flexible Benefit Plan.
   • You change dependent care providers (including school or other free provider). You may make a corresponding change to your DCAP and your future salary reductions if you change dependent care providers.
   • You may make a corresponding change to your DCAP and your future salary reductions if your dependent care provider who is not your relative changes your costs significantly. A relative is any person who is a relative according to Code §152(a)(1) through (8), incorporating the rules of Code §152(b)(1) and (2).

Typically, the election change request must be filed within 30 days of the date of the qualifying event and becomes effective on the 1st of the month following the event and the approval of the request. But check with your Employer or ASI regarding the specifics of your plan.

Your Salary Reduction amount for a pay period is an amount equal to the annual contribution for your Flexible Spending Account election, divided by the number of pay periods in the Plan Year following your effective date. If you increase an election under the HCSA Plan or DCAP, your Salary Reductions per pay period will be an amount equal to your new reimbursement limit elected less the Salary Reductions made prior to such election change, divided by the number of pay periods remaining in the Plan Year beginning with the election change effective date. Any increase in your election may include only those expenses that are incurred during the period of coverage on or after the effective date of the increase. Your coverage for the remaining period of the year shall be calculated by adding the amount of contributions made prior to the change to the expected contributions after the effective date of the change and subtracting prior reimbursements.