We’re excited to announce that the Fall 2026 Flexible Spending Open Enrollment portal is live! See what's changing for 2027!
Starting Monday, November 2, and ending Friday, November 20, City/Schools staff and their families will have the opportunity to enroll in Flexible Spending benefits.
Basic Group Life benefits will be updated this year as of January 1, 2027. Please see additional information below.
What is Flexible Spending Open Enrollment?
Flex Spending Open Enrollment is the annual period when employees can enroll in, renew, or change their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) elections for the upcoming year. During this time, employees decide how much pre-tax money is set aside for eligible health or dependent care expenses. An FSA allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible health care and dependent care expenses, reducing your taxable income!
Note that if you are currently enrolled in Flexible Spending, you must re-enroll for calendar year 2027. Enrollment is required annually.
Information Sessions
Please check your email or this FSA Information Flyer for details on upcoming in-person and virtual information sessions in November.
Virtual Info Sessions:
- Tuesday, November 3, 1:30 PM (Meeting ID: 251 951 314 071 478, Passcode: Bn3Yz7HT)
- Monday, November 9, 4:30 PM (Meeting ID: 235 460 568 602 688 4, Passcode: a5JJ9SV7)
In-Person Info Session:
- Thursday, November 12, 10 AM @ City Hall, 2nd floor, Sullivan Chamber
Drop-in Virtual Q&A:
- Tuesday, November 17, 1:30-3 PM (Meeting ID: 250 092 041 597 726 3, Passcode: cJ9Vx6qH)
Understanding Your FSA Options
Health Care FSA
- Use for eligible medical expenses, including doctor visits, prescription medications, dental, vision care, and more.
- Covers you, your spouse, and eligible dependents.
- Annual contribution limit: $3,500.
Dependent Care FSA
- Use for eligible dependent care expenses, such as daycare, after-schools programs, elder care, and more.
- Covers expenses for dependents under 13 years of age or elder dependents who require care.
- Annual contribution limit: $7,500.
2027 FSA Highlights
- Plan Year - January 1 - December 31, 2027
- Health Care FSA - Maximum annual election: $3,500
- Dependent Care FSA - Maximum annual election: $7,500 per family
- Rollover - If you would like to rollover funds from your 2026 account, you must re-enroll. A maximum of $680 may be rolled over from 2026 to 2027. For calendar year 2027 elections, your maximum rollover to 2028 will be $700.
- Annual enrollment is required.
How It Works
- Once enrolled, you will be provided two debit cards that can be used directly.
- Funds are available for eligible expenses starting on the first day of the plan year.
- Submit claims via mobile app, mail, email, or online easily for reimbursement!
- Be conservative in determining your coverage election – funds not used by year end will be lost. Re-enrollment allows a maximum rollover of $700 on Health Care FSA. There is no rollover on Dependent Care FSA.
Enroll Now
Flex Spending enrollment is required annually.
- Enroll Online: Enroll directly on ebm enrollment portal
- Enroll In‑Person: Visit your Human Resources department to enroll in-person.
Plan Contact
For more information or questions please contact:
ebm (Formely Cafeteria Plan Advisors)
781‑848‑9848
cpaclaims@getebm.com
Key Dates & Timeline
- Nov 2–20: Make your FSA elections.
- Nov 3, 9, 12: Join an information session.
- Nov 17: Drop-in to our virtual Q&A.
- Jan 1: Fall elections become effective.
2027 Life Insurance Updates
Basic and Volunary life insurance benefits are being updated as of January 2027. Here's what to know:
Basic Life Insurance
- Coverage increases from $5,000 → $10,000.
- Rate per $1,000 of coverage decreases by ~4% (from $1.60 to $1.53).
- Employee share increases from $2.00/month → $3.83/month.
- Coverage continues automatically.
Voluntary Life Insurance
- Rates decrease 4–6% depending on age range.
- No guaranteed issue opportunity this year; however, you can enroll anytime with evidence of insurability.
- Group life will be offered guaranteed issue during the Fall 2027 Open Enrollment season.
- Please take the opportunity to update your beneficiary, if needed.
2027 Health Plan Changes
Several health plan updates are coming next year. Below is a brief summary of what employees should know as you plan for 2027. These changes may affect how much you decide to set aside in your Health FSA this fall.
New Deductible Plan Option
- Lower-premium option beginning April 1, 2027.
- Includes a deductible of $400 individual / $800 family.
- Preventive care remains fully covered.
- After meeting the deductible, services previously subject to the deductible would be covered in full minus any applicable share cost.
GLP‑1 Medication Coverage
- GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications move to a direct-buy program.
- You pay $30 (same as today)
- Your share can be paid with a Health Care FSA.
Determining Your 2027 Health Care FSA Amount
- Factor in possible deductible expenses early in the year.
- Estimate your out-of-pocket costs.
- Review health care eligible expenses to guide your election.
- Remember: Be conservative in your FSA elections as any funds not used by the plan year deadline (12/31) will be forfeited. The only exception is for those re-enrolling in the health FSA, who may roll over up to $700 into the following plan year.
Upcoming 2027 Benefits Timeline
- Jan–Feb 2027: More details on the new plan option.
- Apr 1, 2027: GLP‑1 through direct-buy vendor process begins.
- Nov 2027: Basic and voluntary life insurance offer guaranteed issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Flex Spending contributions during the year?
Do I need to be enrolled in the Health insurance to be eligible to enroll in health or dependent care flexible spending?
How do I access my FSA funds?
When do I receive my prepaid benefits debit card?
Each card lasts for about three years. If you already received a card before and it has not expired, the amount would be refilled on January 1.
If you are new to Flexible Spending Account, or have a card that is expired, you will be receiving a new one in the mail prior to January 1.
What are the contribution limits for the 2027 calendar year?
- Health FSA: You can contribute up to $3,500.
- Dependent Care FSA: You can contribute up to $7,500 per household (or $3,750 if married and filing separately).
What expenses are eligible for the Health FSA?
- Medical co-pays and deductibles
- Prescription medications
- Dental and vision expenses (e.g., glasses, contacts)
- Certain over-the-counter medications (with a prescription)
- Sunscreen
- Menstrual products
- Anything prescribed as medically necessary by your doctor.
- And more…..
What expenses are eligible for the Dependent Care FSA?
- Childcare for children under 13
- Adult daycare services for dependents who are unable to care for themselves
- Summer day camps for children
What happens to unused funds at the end of the plan year?
Health FSA has a "use-it-or-lose-it" rule, meaning unused funds may not carry over. However, the plan does offer a carryover feature. If you enroll for the following calendar year, you may carry over up to $700 into 2028. Dependent Care FSAs do not carryover unused funds.
What is FSA?
The main differences between a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (Dependent Care FSA) are related to their purpose, eligible expenses, and contribution limits:
Health FSA:
- Purpose: Designed to help cover out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
- Eligible Expenses: Medical co-pays, deductibles, prescription medications, dental and vision care, and certain over-the-counter items (with a prescription).
- Use-it-or-lose-it Rule: Generally, unused funds at the end of the plan year are forfeited, unless you enroll for the following calendar year, which would then allow at $680 maximum rollover for 2026 fund into 2027.
Dependent Care FSA:
- Purpose: Intended to help pay for dependent care expenses while you work, such as childcare.
- Eligible Expenses: Childcare for children under 13, adult daycare services for dependents who are unable to care for themselves, and summer camps for children.
- Use-it-or-lose-it Rule: Unused funds generally do not carryover and must be used within the plan year.
In summary, a Health FSA focuses on healthcare costs, while a Dependent Care FSA is aimed at covering costs associated with caring for dependents.
What's the Difference Between Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA?
- Health Care FSA:
- Use for eligible medical expenses, including doctor visits, prescription medications, dental, and vision care.
- Covers you, your spouse, and eligible dependents.
- Dependent Care FSA:
- Use for eligible dependent care expenses, such as daycare, after-school programs, and elder care.
- Covers expenses for dependents under 13 years of age or elder dependents who require care.
When do these coverage changes become effective?
When will changes be effective in my payroll?
What is a Premium, Deductible, Co-Pay, or Out-of-pocket maximum?
Premium - What you pay for coverage, whether or not you use care
Deductible - What you pay for certain services each plan year before the plan starts paying
Co-pay - A flat fee you pay for a visit or prescription
Out-of-pocket maximum - The most you'll pay for covered care in a plan year (after that, the plan pays 100%)
If I choose to enroll in the new health plan with deductibles, will I still incur copays prior to meeting the deductible for the year?
What will be my copay on the GLP-1 as of April 1, 2027?
Your 2027 GLP-1 Copay would be $30 (same as today).
GLP-1 costs will be lower than we first shared. Earlier materials estimated that employees taking a GLP-1 for weight loss would pay $99 to $199 a month starting April 1, 2027. Under our updated approach, your share will be no more than $30 a month, the same as your co-pay today. Accordingly, if you were planning to set aside more for this expense, you may want to lower your election, since unused funds above the $700 rollover are lost. We will share more about the GLP-1 program in January.
When can I register with the Direct-Buy GLP-1 vendor?
Additional Information will be available during the February Winter Open Enrollment Season.