HSA and FSA

Bowling Green State University offers two types of pre-tax health accounts to help employees cover out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision and prescription expenses for themselves and eligible dependents (even if those dependents aren't covered under a BGSU insurance plans). Qualified expenses are defined by the IRS. 

If You Choose Health Plan A

  • You are eligible to enroll in a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Dependent Care FSAs are used for work-related child and elder care expenses.
  • Flexible Spending Accounts are administered through FlexSave, a subsidiary of Medical Mutual of Ohio.

If You Choose Health Plan B

  • You will automatically be enrolled in a Health Savings Account (HSA) through PNC Bank. Upon initial enrollment, you will be required to complete the account setup and verify your identity.
  • You may select to contribute to the HSA, but contributions are optional.
  • While you are eligible to enroll in a Dependent Care FSA, you are ineligible to enroll in the Health Care Spending Account (FSA).

Health Savings Account (HSA) 

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account used to pay for qualified healthcare expenses. It pairs with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) like Medical Plan B. 

  • Funds can be used now or saved for future expenses, including retirement. 
  • Your HSA is yours to keep, even if you leave BGSU or switch health plans. 
  • Money rolls over year to year — no “use it or lose it” rule. 

PNC Bank Customer Service

1-844-356-9993

Please note, the HSA election form in the Update HSA Deductions link is only to be used for mid-year elections.  Annual elections during Open Enrollment should be completed within the online enrollment portal.

Eligibility for a Health Savings Account (HSA)

To qualify for a Health Savings Account (HSA), you must: 

  • Be enrolled in BGSU Health Plan B 
  • Not be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return 
  • Not be covered by a spouse’s Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 
  • Not be covered by any non-HSA-qualified health coverage 
  • Not use the HSA for any dependents on a non-HSA-qualified health coverage
  • Not be enrolled in Medicare Part A, B, or D 

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

How to Enroll in a Health Savings Account (HSA)

The Bowling Green State University HSA is administered by PNC Bank through the PNC BeneFit Plus Program.  

  • Step 1: Enroll within 30 days of your hire date, your qualifying Life Event or initial election at annual Open Enrollment. 

  • Step 2: At the time of initial election, the Office of Human Resources will begin your account setup through PNC BeneFit Plus.  

  • Step 3: You will receive an email notification from PNC BeneFit Plus to finalize your account activation through the online portal.  

  • Step 4: Complete your account setup within 90 days from your account initialization or you will forfeit any employer contributions. Employees enrolled in single coverage receive a $500 annual contribution. Employees enrolled in family coverage receive a $1,000 annual contribution. The employer contributions are broken down into two deposits with one half deposited in early January and one half deposited in early July.

Employer contributions for the HSA are not prorated. Employees with coverage effective dates after July 1st will not receive employer contributions until the following calendar year.

Contribution Limits

For 2026, the IRS limits contributions for a Health Savings Account are $4,400 for a single person and $8,750 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. 

Additional Considerations
  • 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. Please note to do this, they may NOT be covered under a non-HSA-qualified health insurance plan of any kind.
  • 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 for tax purposes.  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 unenroll in the BGSU Plan B, the account has a $3.50 monthly administration fee charged by PNC Bank that you will be responsible for. The fee is deducted automatically from your HSA account. 
  • For details regarding what expenses are eligible for reimbursement, 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. 

Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 

The Health Care FSA lets you set aside pretax money to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses for you and your eligible dependents, even if they're not covered by a BGSU health insurance plan. FSAs are managed by FlexSave by Medical Mutual. You can’t enroll in an FSA if you're on a High Deductible Health Plan, including BGSU Health Plan B. 

How to Enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Step 1: Enroll within 30 days of your hire date, after a qualifying Life Event or during annual Open Enrollment. 

  • Step 2: When you enroll, choose the total amount to set aside for the rest of the calendar year.  

  • Step 3: The IRS requires you to re-enroll each year during open enrollment to participate in the following calendar year.
Additional Considerations
  • The total amount of your annual election will be available for reimbursement on your coverage begin date. 
  • You will be required to provide proof of any eligible unpaid expenses at the time of reimbursement. 
  • All employees enrolled in a flexible spending account for health care will be automatically enrolled for the automated claims payment. However, you can elect to have your reimbursement directly deposited into your designated bank account using the direct deposit feature within the Flexsave by Medical Mutual online member portal.
  • The flexible spending account for health care does have a carryover provision allowing the account to carryover up to $660 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 of 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 $3,300.00 for 2026.  
  • 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. 
  • 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. You may obtain this form from FlexSave directly.

FlexSave by Medical Mutual

1-800-525-9252

If you are a current member of the Medical Mutual health plan, please login to the online member portal (My Health Plan) to view and manage both your health plan and your flexible spending account in one convenient place. Go to www.medmutual.com/member, login, click on My Spending Accounts under the Claims and Balances tab, accept the terms, and click Submit.

If you are not a current member of a Medical Mutual health plan, please use this link to create your log in and access your account or call 1-800-525-9252 if you need assistance. 

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 

A Dependent Care FSA lets you set aside money pretax to pay for work-related child and elder care expenses. Eligible expenses include child care for children under age 13, daycare for a dependent spouse or parent, licensed daycare centers and nursery schools, work-related babysitting (in or out of your home) and home care for disabled dependents or elders. 

How to Enroll in a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Step 1: Confirm that you and your spouse (if applicable) are employed or seeking employment. Enroll within 30 calendar days of your hire date, following a qualifying Life Event or during annual Open Enrollment.  

  • Step 2: When you enroll, select the total amount to set aside for the remainder of the calendar year.  

  • Step 3: The IRS requires you to re-enroll each year during open enrollment to participate in the following calendar year.
Additional Considerations
  • The amount available for reimbursement at the time you file a claim is the amount curently 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 using the direct deposit feature within the FlexSave by Medical Mutual online member portal.
  • 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 ($7,500 for 2026) 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 ($7,500 for 2026) 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. 

FlexSave by Medical Mutual

1-800-525-9252

If you are a current member of the Medical Mutual health plan, please login to the online member portal (My Health Plan) to view and manage both your health plan and your flexible spending account in one convenient place.  Go to www.medmutual.com/member, login, click on My Spending Accounts under the Claims and Balances tab, accept the terms, and click Submit. 

If you are not a current member of the Medical Mutual health plan, please call 1-800-525-9252 for assistance with setting up your account. 

Updated: 10/17/2025 09:22AM