Every fall, a lot of people discover they still have money left in their benefits. If you have a health spending account or extended health coverage through work, there is a good chance some of it is sitting unused. And if your plan resets on January 1, whatever you do not use by December 31 may simply disappear.
Here is how to find out what you have left, and how to put it toward the chiropractic and massage care you have been meaning to book.
What is a health spending account?
A health spending account (HSA) is a set amount of money your employer puts aside for you each benefit year to spend on eligible health expenses. It is separate from your regular extended health plan, and it is often used to cover costs that plan does not fully pay, like the portion left over after your plan covers its share of a visit.
What counts as an eligible expense is set by your plan. Many plans let you use an HSA toward chiropractic care and registered massage therapy, but not all of them treat every service the same way. The only reliable answer is in your plan booklet, your benefits app, or a quick call to your provider.
Two pots of money, both on a clock
Many people actually have two separate things to use up before the year ends:
- Your extended health benefits. Most Alberta plans cover chiropractic and registered massage therapy, usually with a yearly dollar maximum for each type of practitioner. Unused coverage does not roll over.
- Your health spending account, if your employer offers one. This is a flexible pool of money that can often cover what your extended health plan does not.
Not sure how the regular coverage side works? Our guide to whether Alberta insurance covers chiropractic explains it in plain terms.
Why December 31 matters
Many benefit plans run on the calendar year, which means your yearly maximums reset on January 1. Use it or lose it is the general rule for extended health maximums. Health spending accounts vary more: some plans let you carry an unused balance forward for a limited time, and others do not.
Not every plan follows the calendar year, either. Some reset on a different date, such as the anniversary of your plan. So before you assume anything, check two things: when your benefit year ends, and whether any unused HSA balance carries forward.
How to check what you have left
- Log in to your benefits app or online account and look for your remaining balance for chiropractic, massage therapy and your HSA.
- Check your plan booklet for the benefit year dates and any carry forward rules.
- Ask your HR or benefits contact at work if you cannot find it.
- Or call us at (825) 394-3641 and we will help you check your coverage before you book.
Good ways to use it on chiro and massage
- Get that nagging back pain or neck pain assessed instead of putting it off until next year.
- Book registered massage therapy for tension that has been building all year, or deep tissue massage for stubborn knots.
- Finish the chiropractic care you started earlier in the year and let slide.
- Look into custom orthotics, which most insurance plans cover, if your feet, knees or back have been bothering you.
Book sooner rather than later
The end of the year is a popular time to use benefits, and December also has holidays that can change clinic hours. Booking in October or November gives you more choice of times, and room for a few visits if you need them, instead of trying to squeeze everything into the last two weeks of December.
How billing works at our clinic
We direct bill more than 47 insurers, including Alberta Blue Cross, Canada Life, Sun Life, Manulife, GreenShield and Desjardins, so the covered portion of your visit goes straight to your plan and you only pay any difference. Whether your health spending account can be billed directly depends on who runs it. Call us and we will help you check. If it cannot be billed directly, we give you a detailed receipt with everything you need to submit the claim yourself.
The bottom line
If your benefits reset on January 1, the money you do not use this year is usually gone. Check your balance, check your plan year, and book while there is still time. No referral is needed. Call (825) 394-3641 or book online at our chiropractic clinic in North Edmonton, 15152 127 St NW.