Benny Card

Using Your Prepaid Benefits Card Just Got Easier!

Starting January 1, 2008, new IRS rules allow you to use your Prepaid Benefits Card in participating pharmacies, discount stores and supermarkets that can identify FSA-eligible items at checkout. You will be able to purchase the FSA-eligible items on your Card, and will be asked for a different form of payment for non-eligible items. In most cases, no receipts will be needed to verify the eligibility of FSA-eligible purchases at participating stores! 

Important point to remember: As of January 1, 2008, you cannot use your Card at discount stores, department stores, and supermarkets that do not participate, even if you have used your Card at these stores prior to January 1, 2008. Your transaction may be declined. You can continue to use your Card at freestanding pharmacies and health care providers, such as hospitals, doctors, dentists, etc.

For example: You have been purchasing prescriptions at a pharmacy in a local supermarket using your Card during 2007. On January 5, 2008, you go to the store to pick up a prescription. If the store has not made the change required by the IRS to identify FSA-eligible items, your Card will decline at the point of purchase. You can continue using your Card by transferring your prescriptions to a freestanding pharmacy or to a pharmacy in a participating discount store or supermarket.

How do I find out which pharmacies, discount stores and supermarkets are participating?

You can find out which stores are participating by clicking this link: IIAS Participating Providers

Here’s how the Card works at participating stores:

1.   Bring prescriptions, vision products, OTCs and other purchases to the checkout for the clerk to ring up.

2.   Present your Card and swipe it for payment.

3.   If the Card swipe transaction is approved (e.g., there are sufficient funds in the account and at least some of the purchases are FSA-eligible), the amount of the FSA-eligible purchases is deducted from the account balance. In most cases, no receipt follow up is required. The clerk will then ask for another form of payment for the non-FSA-eligible items.

4.   If the Card swipe transaction is declined, the clerk will ask for another form of payment for the total amount of the purchase.

5.   The receipt will identify the FSA-eligible items and may also show a subtotal of the FSA-eligible purchases.

Use Your Card for FSA-eligible products including: