Not sure if a medication is covered? Search your plan’s drug list or call the customer service number on your member ID card.
Your HIA is funded when you earn rewards for taking certain steps to improve your health. Check your Plan Summary for more information about earning rewards.
What type of services may I pay for with my HIA funds?
You can use the money in your HIA to pay for health care services covered by the Lumenos plan, such as doctor’s office visits, prescription drugs, and lab tests. Check your Plan Summary for more information on covered services.
What is traditional health coverage?
Similar to a PPO or HMO plan, after you meet your deductible, you pay coinsurance (a percentage of the provider’s charges) when you visit a network provider. You’ll pay more if you visit an out-of-network provider. Check your Plan Summary for more information on coinsurance amounts.
How do I check my health account balance?
It’s easy. First register then log on at anthem.com. You can keep track of your account activity and balance, and get details on your medical claims. You’ll also receive a monthly statement with your account balance, account activity, medical and prescription claim history and important messages about how you may be able to improve your health or save money.
Can I roll over all the money in my HIA at the end of each plan year?
Yes. Whatever you don’t spend on covered services will roll over to the next year, as long as you remain enrolled in the Lumenos HIA plan. You can use roll-over funds to help pay future out-of-pocket expenses.
If I leave this Lumenos plan, what happens to my HIA funds?
You cannot take your HIA funds with you if you leave the plan or your employer. The funds in your HIA stay with the health plan.
You are eligible to have both an HSA and an FSA only if the FSA has been defined as either a Limited/Special Purpose FSA, which may be limited to dental and/ or vision services or dependent care only or a Limited Purpose High-Deductible FSA, which also allows for dental and/or vision services, as well as payment for the coinsurance under the traditional health component of the plan, after meeting the deductible.
Contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA)
How is my HSA funded?
Your HSA is funded by your own pre-tax contributions, up to a certain annual limit. You may also contribute post-tax money to your HSA. Others (including your employer) may contribute to your account as well. You can earn additional dollars for your HSA by taking certain steps to improve your health. The total of all contributions cannot exceed the maximums defined by the U.S. Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (See the question below: How much can I contribute to my HSA? for details.)
The easiest way is through pre-tax payroll deductions, if allowed by your employer. However, you may also contribute directly to your HSA post-tax, by sending a check to the address printed on your HSA checkbook.
For 2010, the annual contribution maximum set by the U.S. Treasury and the IRS is $3,050 for individual coverage and $6,150 for family coverage. The contribution maximums set by the U.S. Treasury and the IRS may be increased for inflation annually. Check anthem.com for the most current maximum amounts.
Can I ever contribute more than the annual limit?
Yes, people age 55 and older who are not enrolled in Medicare are eligible to contribute an additional $1,000 above the regular limits (called a catch-up contribution). These individuals can make catch-up contributions each year until they enroll in Medicare. On
- Accessing health care for different types of services
- Coverage while traveling
- When to obtain emergency care and when to use 911 services
- How to file a claim
- How to voice a complaint or appeal a decision, including the right to independent external appeal
- How to resolve a concern you are having with Empire
- Understanding your Pharmacy Benefit Program
- Covered benefits and exclusions
- Your copayments and other cost sharing information that you are responsible for
- How to obtain information about doctors who participate in our network
- How we evaluate new technology for inclusion as a covered benefit
Your employer makes an annual, upfront deposit to your Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). The amount of your annual allocation depends upon your employer, and whether you have individual or family coverage. You also have the opportunity to earn additional dollars for your HRA by taking certain steps to improve your health.
No. It's being offered and funded by your employer to encourage healthy habits and to help you meet health care expenses.
No, funds in your account do not count as taxable income.
Our customer service representatives will be happy to help answer them all. Just call the number on the back of your member identification card.
- You may not need to pay anything. If a service is covered fully by your benefits (or you paid a copay and that's all you owe), we will not send you an EOB. We only send one when there's action you need to take.
- We may not have gotten your claim yet.
Log in to empireblue.com and click the Claims tab. If your claim isn't there or you still have questions, click Customer Support and choose how you'd prefer to contact us. Or call the Member Services number on your member ID Card.
It's easy to stop getting EOBs by mail - and only get them by email. Just log in to empireblue.com and click on the Profile tab, then select Email Preferences toward the top of the page. Scroll down to choose the way you'd prefer to get your EOBs.
Where can I access additional discounts on dental products and services not covered through my plan?
It’s called consumer-driven because it puts you in the driver’s seat of your health and health care spending. With your checkups and preventive care likely covered at 100%, and tools to help you stay healthy and shop around for quality care at more reasonable costs - you might be able to cover all your costs with the money in your account.
It gives you the flexibility of a PPO - you can often go to doctors in and out of your network, though you’ll get better rates with in-network doctors. HSA plans tend to have lower monthly premiums than similar PPOs, and sometimes even HMOs.
It’s sometimes called a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) because you’re in more control of your care spending at first. With your checkups and preventive care likely covered at 100%, and tools to help you stay healthy and shop around for quality care at more reasonable costs - you might be able to cover all your costs with the money in your account.
If you still have money left in your account, it stays in there for next year and beyond. And you can also take it with you if you change health plans. View IRS rules on paying costs with money in your HSA.
Your employer puts money into your health incentive account (HIA) when you take certain steps to improve your health. You use that money to pay for your share of care costs, like your deductible or coinsurance. If you don’t use all the money, it stays in there next year as long as you’re still at the same job.
Yes. The three main types of FSAs are:
1. Health care FSA for qualified medical, dental, vision or other health care costs, including insurance deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance.
2. Dependent care FSA for child, elder or other dependent care.
3. Limited purpose FSA for qualified dental and vision care costs only when combined with a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA).
To be eligible for an FSA, your employer must offer it. You don’t have to participate in your employer’s health plan. You must elect to participate in the FSA during your employer's open enrollment.
For a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCA), you must have children under the age of 13 (if divorced, you must be the custodial parent) or you must claim an adult dependent on your tax return who’s physically or mentally unable to care for themselves.
Qualified individuals must meet one of the following criteria: children under the age of 13 or any adult you can claim as a dependent on your tax return who is physically or mentally unable to care for themselves.
For more information, view IRS Publication 503.
To qualify for a DCA, you must be the custodial parent, even if you don’t claim your child as a tax dependent.
For more information, view IRS Publication.
Typically anyone whose employer offers a DCA can participate. As a rule, your DCA can only cover expenses incurred during work hours. Ask your employer’s benefits team to verify eligibility.
For more information, view IRS Publication.
- Before and after school care programs
- Preschool or nursery school
- Extended day programs and summer day camp
- Babysitter (in or out of your home)
- Nanny and au pair services
- Day care and elder care facilities
- Educational expenses (summer school and tutoring)
- Tuition for kindergarten and above
- Overnight camp
- Field trip expenses and fees
- Housekeeping services
- Dependent care expenses incurred if your spouse does not work, unless your spouse is a full-time student or disabled
- They allow you (and your spouse if filing jointly) to work or look for work
- They are for a qualifying person’s care
The run-out period is the time limit for submitting receipts to your Health Care FSA for expenses incurred during the plan year.
Does the carryover amount limit my future year Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) election?
No.
Reminder: If your group benefits end and you’re eligible to enroll in Medicare Part B, do it within 80 days after your group health benefits end - or you could pay more.
- If you are eligible under a federal law known as COBRA, you may have an opportunity to remain covered under your employer's coverage for some period of time, provided you pay the full amount of your premium.
- Your employer may offer retiree coverage.
- You may have the opportunity to convert to an individual policy offered by Anthem.
- You may have the opportunity to continue coverage under your group coverage.
If new coverage is obtained within certain time frames, waiting periods and medical underwriting might not apply. Contact your employer, your Certificate or Customer Care for more information and for any guidelines that apply.
In general, the following treatments and services must be pre-certified. This is not a comprehensive list and coverage and/or precertification requirements may vary depending on your plan.
- Advanced Imaging Studies
- Advanced Reproductive Technology services
- Air Ambulance Services
- Assistive Communication Devices
- Preventive Colonoscopy Screenings performed as Outpatient Hospital Services
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
- Genetic Testing
- Home Health Care
- Inpatient Mental Health Care, Substance Use Services
- Inpatient Services
- Mental Health and Substance Use Intensive Outpatient Program Services
- Mental Health and Substance Use Partial Hospitalization Program Services
- Spine and Joint Management Procedures
- Outpatient/Ambulatory Surgical Treatments
- Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Therapy
- Prosthetics/Orthotics
- Radiology Services (Diagnostic and Therapeutic)
- Rehabilitative Services (Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy)
- Specialty Prescription Drugs
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Vision
You can also check to see what services might require a precertification by calling Member Services at the number listed on the back of your member identification card. To find out more about how to request precertification review you can contact Member Services at the number listed on the back of your member identification card.
Please check your plan for details about covered benefits, copayments, coinsurance, deductibles and exclusions or call member services for help with your questions.