The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) supplements your existing health and dental coverage by covering eligible expenses that aren’t fully covered by the plan. These expenses must be allowable under the Income Tax Act.
Eligibility for HCSA
Hours Requirement
To qualify for the HCSA, you must have more than 1,680 hours reported under an IATSE Local 891 contract during the previous calendar year. The hours are revised each year.
Annual Deposit
If eligible, you will receive $500 into your HCSA for the following plan year (July 1 to June 30).
Note: The $500 deposit is not guaranteed each year. The amount, if any, is decided by the trustees based on the plan's financial health.
"Use It or Lose It" Rule
Expiry of Funds
If you don't use your entire HCSA balance in the current plan year, you can carry it forward to the next plan year. However, at the end of that plan year, any unused portion from the previous year will simply go back into the plan.
Example of Carry-Forward Rule
Year 1: Unused funds can be carried forward to Year 2.
Year 2: If you do not use the funds by the end of Year 2, they will be lost.
Eligible Expenses:
Any health and dental services allowed under the Income Tax Act that are not covered or partially covered by the plan.
Examples include:
Medical supplies
Dental work not covered by the plan
Vision care expenses
Paramedical services (e.g., acupuncture, massage therapy)
*Note: Refer to the booklets for detailed information, exceptions, and conditions for availing these benefits.