PBS BENEFITS CARD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Participants
It is a special purpose MasterCard® that provides instant access to the funds in your
Flexible Spending Accounts. The card allows you to pay for eligible products and
services at the point of sale without submitting a claim form and waiting for
reimbursement. In most ways, the card works like any debit card except for three
important differences. First, its use is limited to specific merchants based on the
benefit accounts that your employer offers and you have selected. Second,
you cannot use it at ATMs or to obtain "cash back" when making a purchase.
Third, there is no PIN number associated with the card so choose "credit"
at the card terminal.
Currently, the card can be used at any eligible location that accepts MasterCard. Some examples of eligible locations include hospitals, physician offices, dental offices, vision service locations and pharmacies.
However, due to IRS Revenue Ruling 2007-2, starting January 1, 2008 you will only be able to use your card at retailers that have adopted an Inventory Information Approval Systems or IIAS.
However, due to IRS Revenue Ruling 2007-2, starting January 1, 2008 you will only be able to use your card at retailers that have adopted an Inventory Information Approval Systems or IIAS.
An Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS) codes products such as prescription drugs (RX) and over-the-counter medications (OTC) as being FSA eligible. Beginning January 1, 2008, when you present your PBS Benefits Card for payment at a participating IIAS retailer, their point-of-sale (POS) software will know which products are FSA eligible. It will allow only those eligible products to be purchased using your benefits card and any ineligible products must be purchased with another form of payment.
The IRS requires merchants that sell qualified medical expense goods and services (but do not have a health care Merchant Category Code) to have an IIAS in place by January 1, 2008. This includes grocery/supermarkets, discount stores, warehouse clubs, convenience stores and online pharmacies. Drug stores and pharmacies will be required to use an IIAS effective January 1, 2009. Keep in mind that your card will not work at retailers that do not have an IIAS in place by the specified dates.
Not exactly. The IIAS changes will only affect SOME of the places you use your PBS Benefits Card. For example, when you go to see your dentist or eye doctor, PBS is still likely to ask for your receipt. Your best bet is to keep your receipt every time you use your PBS Benefits Card. It is much easier for you in the long run.
Visit our Links page for direction to a list of merchants who are adopting an IIAS.
Eligible expenses may include co-payments, deductibles, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, just to name a few. Your service provider should initially swipe the card for your co-payment. Once your insurance company has paid their portion, you can give your service provider your card or card number so your remaining responsibility may be processed through your account.
Currently, in such circumstances you will be required to reimburse the plan for the amount of your ineligible expense. Failure to do so will jeopardize the tax-exempt status of your account and you will lose access to your benefits card until the expense is re-paid.
However, with the adoption of an IIAS by retailers, any ineligible products will be flagged and must be purchased with another form of payment.
However, with the adoption of an IIAS by retailers, any ineligible products will be flagged and must be purchased with another form of payment.
In this rare situation, cardholders will have to pay for the expense out-of-pocket and then submit a claim form to request reimbursement.
If the card transaction is more than the balance in your account, it will be declined.
You can pay the expense out-of-pocket and then submit a claim to be reimbursed for
your remaining account balance.
However, if you would like to know the amount you can spend, check your
balance
by logging into your account.
Yes. If you would like your spouse to have his or her own card, complete a
Spouse Card Request form
No. When you use the card to pay for eligible expenses, there is no need to submit a claim form. The merchant or provider has been paid and the transaction amount has been deducted from your account. However, you may be required to confirm the eligibility of the benefits card purchases to comply with IRS rules. Please keep all your itemized receipts and be prepared to provide them if you are requested to do so. With the adoption of IIAS in January 2008, most Receipt Notification Requests will be eliminated.
The PBS Benefits Card is good for up to three years. Hang on to it so you can use it again next year when you re-enroll for the Flexible Spending Plan.
Contact us immediately to report a card stolen or lost. We will inactivate the card and issue a replacement.
