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The Prepaid Benefits Card can be used to pay for eligible goods and services at
providers/merchants that offer these goods or services and accept MasterCard prepaid
cards.
As of January 1, 2008, IRS regulations allow participants to use their Cards in
participating pharmacies, discount stores and supermarkets that can identify MRA-eligible
items at checkout. Participants cannot use their Cards at discount stores, department
stores, and supermarkets that do not participate. The Card transaction may be declined.
Participants can use their Cards at freestanding pharmacies and health care providers,
such as hospitals, doctors, dentists, etc.
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Yes. The Card will not be accepted at locations that do not offer the eligible goods
and services, such as hardware stores, restaurants, bookstores, gas stations and
home improvement stores.
Cards will not be accepted at discount stores, department stores, and supermarkets
that cannot identify MRA-eligible items at checkout.
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Q.
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EB’s Prepaid Benefits Card is actually a prepaid card. But, since there is no "prepaid"
selection available, participants should select “Credit.” Participants
do not need a PIN and cannot get cash
with the Prepaid Benefits Card.
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- Bring prescriptions or vision products and other purchases to the register at checkout
to let the clerk ring them up.
- Present the Card and swipe it for payment.
- If the Card swipe transaction is approved (e.g., there are sufficient funds in the
account and the products are MRA-eligible), the amount of the purchase is deducted
from the account balance. If any ineligible expenses are included on the card, the
entire purchase will be denied.
- If the Card swipe transaction is declined, the clerk will ask for another form of
payment for the total amount of the purchase.
- The receipt will identify the MRA-eligible items and may also show a subtotal of
the MRA-eligible purchases.
- In most cases, the participant will not receive requests for receipts for MRA-eligible
purchases made in participating discount stores or supermarkets.
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Participants should always save itemized receipts for MRA purchases made with the
Prepaid Benefits Card. They may be asked to submit receipts to verify that their
expenses comply with IRS guidelines. Each receipt must show: the merchant or provider
name, the service received or the item purchased, the date and the amount of the
purchase.
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Usually the service provider can recreate an account history and provide a replacement
receipt. In the event that a receipt cannot be located, recreated, or if the expense
is ineligible for reimbursement, the participant can send a check or money order
to the MRA Benefit Office for the amount so it can be credited back to the participant’s
MRA account.
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No. The Card must be activated prior to the order and/or purchase date of prescriptions.
In some cases, participants need to wait 1 business day after activating the Card
to purchase prescriptions at their pharmacy. For example, if the Card is activated
on Tuesday, a prescription can be ordered and picked up on Wednesday.
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Yes. As long as they have money in their account for the patient balance due and
the provider accepts MasterCard debit cards, participants can simply write the Card
number on their statement and send it back to the provider. Before providing your
Prepaid Benefits Card number be certain that the provider has submitted the charges
to your health insurance, that your health insurance has considered and processed
the claim, and that the remaining balance to be applied to your Prepaid Benefits
Card represents only the patient’s responsibility after any health insurance payments
due.
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They can keep track of their account balances via www.mybenny.com, or they can call the MRA Benefit Office
at the phone number on the back of the Card to obtain their current balance. Participants
should always know their account balance before making a purchase with the Card.
Please note that account balances will not be available on www.mybenny.com until early January 2013.
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By checking their account balance often – either at www.mybenny.com, or by calling the MRA Benefit Office at
the phone number shown on the back of the Card – participants will have a good idea
of how much is available. When incurring an expense that is greater than the amount
remaining in their account, participants may be able to split the cost at the register.
(Check with the merchant.) For example, participants may tell the clerk to use the
Prepaid Benefits Card for the exact amount left in the account, and then pay the
remaining balance separately.
Alternatively, participants may pay by another means and submit the qualified transaction
manually via a claim form with the appropriate documentation to the MRA Benefit
Office. You can obtain a claim form by visiting www.IBEWLU86.org, or by calling the MRA Benefit Office.
Please note that there is a change in policy with the new MRA Benefit Office
and Benefits Card. When you have an expense that exceeds the balance remaining on
your card, you can utilize your Card to partially pay for the expense up to the
balance you have remaining, and pay for the remaining expense out of pocket. You
must then submit a claim form to the MRA Benefit Office when you receive additional
MRA funds in the future. You should only request reimbursement up to the amount
that you have in your account. You can submit additional claim forms as your balance
replenishes.
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The most common reasons why a Card may be declined at the point of sale are:
- The Card has not been activated.
- The Card has been used before the 24-hour period after activation is over.
- The participant has insufficient funds in his or her employee benefit account to
cover the expense.
- Non-qualified expenses have been included at the point-of-sale. (Retry the transaction
with the qualified expense only.)
- The merchant is encountering problems (e.g. coding or swipe box issues).
- The discount store, department store, or supermarket cannot identify MRA-eligible
items at checkout according to IRS rules on or after January 1, 2008.
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If the MRA Benefit Office and the issuing bank are notified within 2 business days,
the participant will not be responsible for any charges. If the notification is
after 2 days, the participant may be responsible for the total amount of transactions
applied to the lost or stolen card. Replacement Cards are $10 each.
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Call the MRA Benefit Office at the phone number shown on the back of the Card.
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The participant will receive a letter or notification from the MRA Benefit Office
if there is a need to submit a receipt. All receipts should be saved per the IRS
regulations.
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If receipts are not submitted as requested to verify a charge made with the Prepaid
Benefits Card, then the Card may be suspended until receipts are received. The participant
may be required to repay the amount charged. The MRA Benefit Office will advise
the participant that the Card has been suspended, if a receipt is not received.
Submitting a receipt or repaying the amount in question will allow the Card to become
active again.
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