Health Reimbursement

Mailing/Faxing HRA Documents to the Fund Office

When mailing or faxing documents to the Fund Office that are for HRA reimbursements, Benny Card receipts, or anything else related to your HRA account, please add 'Attention: HRA Department' to your envelope and/or documents.

Let's Chat!

Log in to your HRA Participant Portal account to access the Let's Chat virtual assistant. You can get quick answers to many of your questions by typing in the question and and letting the virtual assistant answer. If the virtual assistant cannot answer, you can be connected to a member of our customer service team (if during regular Fund office hours).

Log in to the HRA Participant Portal and click on the Let's Chat icon in the bottom right to get started!

The CARES Act and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications

Per the CARES Act signed into law on March 27, 2020

1. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications do not require a prescription to be eligible for HRA; this includes menstrual products.
2. This is retroactive with a start date of 01/01/20.
3. It may take a few weeks for these items to be added to systems used to validate Benny Card purchases at the merchant level (there was an update on 4/15/20 which should have covered the majority of these items).
4. Any claims submitted to the Fund Office for reimbursement of OTC medications can be reimbursed, with purchase date retroactive to 01/01/20.

Browser Requirements for Accessing the HRA Participant Portal

The privacy and security of your healthcare account information is always top priority at NECA-IBEW, and we work continuously to ensure your data's integrity by using the latest technologies.

If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer to access your HRA Participant Portal, beginning November 11, 2017, you will be required to use Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 or greater in order to login to your HRA Participant Portal.

By updating to Internet Explorer 11 or greater, we can continue to ensure the security of your health account information.

Please note that no changes are required if you are using a browser other than Microsoft Internet Explorer, specifically Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

What is an Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)?

The Plan includes a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). You are eligible to participate if you work under a collective bargaining agreement that allows for contributions to an HRA on your behalf. You may also become eligible if you and your spouse earn rewards by participating in the Wellness and Disease Management Program (Wellness Power).

When eligible, the Plan establishes and maintains an account for the participant to use for reimbursement of eligible health care expenses on a tax- free-basis. Eligible expenses incurred by the participant, the spouse and dependents (under age 26) are eligible for reimbursement.

HRA Contributions

When you work for a contributing employer, an HRA contribution will be made on your behalf and credited to your HRA for each hour that you work. In other words, the more hours you work, the more contributions are made to you HRA. Please note that only employer HRA contributions made on your behalf are credited to your HRA; you may not make contributions to the account.

Option to Freeze your HRA Account

HRA accounts can only be used if the member and their dependents are enrolled in a group health plan. If your circumstances change, and you will use other non-group health plan insurance, or the exchange/marketplace, or any other subsidized insurance plan, you will not be eligible for an HRA account at the same time.

Basically, you can't use an HRA account and have a non-group health plan or subsidized insurance coverage at the same time. The only exception is retirees, who do not have to be enrolled in a group health plan to spend down their HRA account on qualified medical expenses.

If you will use a non-group health plan or any subsidized insurance, you can choose to freeze your HRA account. The HRA account cannot be used if you freeze it, but you will retain your balance and any accumulated interest until you earn until such time that the account is removed from the freeze status.

If you wish to freeze your HRA account, please call the Fund Office.

Opt-out of your HRA Account

There is an option to opt out of HRA reimbursement; however, under your collective bargaining agreement, funds would still be directed to your HRA account and you would forfeit any existing funds and any future contributions to your HRA account if you opt out. Contributions to an HRA account cannot be changed on an individual basis as they are part of the collective bargaining agreement.

If you wish to opt-out of your HRA account, please call the Fund Office.

Using your HRA

While contributions are only made on your behalf while you are working for a participating employer, you do not have to be an active participant to use the money in your HRA. However, effective January 1, 2017, you must be enrolled in a group health plan to use your HRA account (please refer to the Plan Document). This allows you to use your HRA for reimbursement of future expenses, such as the cost of continued coverage if you are not working enough hours or after retirement (if you are eligible for retiree coverage). In addition, your HRA balance is available to your surviving spouse and dependent children in the event of your death, provided they were covered as dependents under the Plan.

How to View Your HRA Account Activity

Quarterly HRA statements are mailed to participants four times a year. But did you know that you can view your HRA account activity at any time? Simply log in to the HRA Participant Portal, click Accounts on the main menu, then select Account Activity from the menu on the left.

For more detailed instructions, please see the View HRA Account Activity guide. Also, for help with login, see How to Login to the HRA Participant Portal.

A Note about VISION claims and your HRA account

The Fund Office has noticed that participants sometimes use their HRA account to pay for vision claims upfront. Before using your Benny Card to make a payment to a vision provider, please check your Fund benefits first. Your vision benefit and eligibility can be obtained by calling the Fund Office (1-800-765-4239, press 9). This maximizes both your Fund benefits and the funds available in your HRA account.

Reimbursable Expenses

Please see HRA-eligible expenses. Participants will be responsible for repayment of any debit card use for ineligible expenses.

Email Alerts

If you update your email address on your HRA Participant Portal account profile, you will receive an alert via email/text message. This will allow you to monitor any email changes to your HRA account profile.

If you receive an email that your email was changed on your HRA account profile and you did not authorize this change, please contact the Fund Office.

Note: at this time, your email is the only information that can be edited in your HRA account profile. Also, if you add your email address to your HRA account profile, you automatically consent to receive all communications electronically.

Benny Card Terms & Conditions

HRA Reimbursement Terms & Conditions