FAQ - Health spending account

To be able to use your HSA credits, the care and services received must:

• Be eligible for the Medical Expense Tax Credit under Canada's Income Tax Act
• Not be fully covered by a private or government plan
• Have been prescribed by a healthcare professional (certain exceptions apply)

Eligible expenses are defined by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). For a complete list of eligible expenses, go to the CRA website External link. Opens in a new window., and enter “eligible medical expenses” in the site's search engine. For more details, click on the Income Tax Folio S1-F1-C1, Medical Expense Tax Credit External link. Opens in a new window. link.

Your plan may include restrictions. See your employee booklet for more details.

Your HSA balance is debited each time a claim is paid.

You can check your HSA balance three different ways:

• The secure site External link. Opens in a new window.: Click on Health spending account in the Your account menu.
• The Omni mobile app: select Health spending account from the left menu bar on the home page.
• The explanation of benefits that's posted on the secure site or sent to you each time a claim is processed.

Depending on the type of fees incurred, the money you have to pay out of pocket may automatically be submitted to your HSA, but not in all cases.

Health professionals registered with TELUS Health eClaims

If your health professional, such as your dentist, eye specialist or massage therapist, is registered1 for Telus Health's eClaims service:

• You don't have to do anything. Your health professional will submit your claim for you. Any fees you pay out of pocket will be automatically submitted to your HSA.
• If you don't want to use your HSA to cover your fees, or if you want to coordinate your claims with another group insurance plan, you'll need to call our Client Relations Centre to let us know.

Health professionals not registered with Telus Health's eClaims service

If your health professional, such as your dentist, eye specialist or massage therapist, is not registered1 for Telus Health's eClaims service:

• You have to pay the full amount, then claim the amount under your HSA using one of the accepted methods. If you have another plan, you have to coordinate benefits before submitting your claim.

Pharmacists

• If you use your payment card for medication, the amount you pay out of pocket will not automatically be submitted to your HSA. You have to submit a claim using your HSA.
• If you don't use your payment card, you need to pay the full amount, then submit a claim using your HSA. If you have another plan, you have to coordinate benefits before submitting your claim.

If you don't have extended healthcare or dental benefits, you can always submit a claim under your HSA using our secure website or paper form. Dentists, eye specialists and other authorized health professionals can also submit a claim for you.

Learn more about the health spending account

Submit a claim using your HSA

• On the secure site, use our online form and make sure that the instructions in the HSA box are correct. By leaving the default option, any ineligible expenses will be submitted to your HSA. If you don't want to use your HSA, you need to uncheck the box.
• In the Omni mobile app, make sure that the "Submit the unpaid balance to the health spending account (applicable by default)" box is checked.
• By mail, fill out the "Health spending account" section of the Claim for Healthcare Benefits form (19132A) or Claim for Dental Care Expenses form (19110A).

The period during which credits are available varies from plan to plan. Your employer decides how unused credits are managed. See your employee booklet for more details on how your credits are managed and when they can be used.

Credits can be managed in a number of ways:

• Credit carry-forward: any credits that haven't been used during the year for which they were intended are carried forward to the following year
• Expense carry-forward: any expenses that aren't reimbursed in full during the year in which they are incurred can be carried forward and paid with the credits available the following year. Any unused credits will be lost.
• No carry-forward: any unused credits at the end of the year will be lost.