Commuter Parking Accounts

Questions?
Contact MyFlex Advantage
via DirectLink at
1-800-994-2752, option 2, option 3 or log on to www.upmchealthplan.com/MyFlex.

Helping to Save Money on Your Commuting Expenses

In addition to commuter parking accounts, UPMC also provides the opportunity to purchase Allegheny County Port Authority bus/light rail passes and to sign up for a parking lease at select parking lots and garages. Deductions for bus passes and leases are taken from your pay on a pre-tax basis. To learn more, log in to My HUB and select the Human Resources tab. Click the Benefits Information link under My Benefits and then choose the Commuter Options link.

We’re all looking for ways to save money. If you are paying out-of-pocket for work-related parking expenses, using a commuter parking account can help because you can save as much as 20 to 40 percent by making contributions toward your parking expenses on a pretax basis. Staff who park at a public or private lot near their work or transit locations and do not already have their parking expenses deducted from their pay are eligible to participate.

How Does the Account Work?

Each pay period, an amount determined by you is directed into your parking account. These funds are deducted from your pay on a pretax basis – so paying federal income or Social Security taxes on these monies is not required. The monthly amount chosen during enrollment is divided in half and deducted from the first two pays of each month. Once eligible expenses are incurred, you submit for reimbursement.

Sample Tax Savings
If you contribute	You could save an estimated
Per month	Per month	Per year
$50	$12	$136
$100	$23	$272
$175	$40	$476
$230	$52	$625
Assumes minimum income tax rate of 15 percent and a FICA rate of 7.65 percent. Actual savings depend on your specific tax bracket.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses include your out-of-pocket costs associated with parking your personal vehicle near your work or transit location.

Exclusions do exist — The account cannot be used to pay for parking expenses related to nonwork activities; parking for family members; gas/mileage; or other transit expenses, such as bus passes.
Staff who hold a parking lease or bus pass expenses already deducted from their pay are not eligible to participate in a commuter parking account. These deductions are already taken on a pretax basis.
Staff whose job status is casual or limited part-time are not eligible to participate in this program.

Enrollment Is Easy

You may enroll at any time in a commuter parking account by printing and mailing or faxing the enrollment form to MyFlex Advantage. Enrollments received by the 15th of a month are effective the beginning of the next month. For example, to submit a reimbursement for parking expenses incurred during February 2009, you must enroll by Jan. 15, 2009. Per Internal Revenue Service guidelines, up to $230 in monthly expenses may be eligible so there is a $230 contribution limit per month. You remain enrolled in the account until you elect to stop contributions, your employment with UPMC ends, or you transfer into an ineligible job status (casual or limited part-time).

Change Is Inevitable: Managing Your Contributions

You may adjust your contribution to your account at any time, as often as necessary. Simply complete and submit a change form. If parking expenses vary from month to month — or season to season – deductions can be changed each month with no penalty. Unused funds roll from month-to-month and year-to-year; however there is a six month deadline from the time you incur an expense to submit it for reimbursement. Changes made by the 15th of the month become effective with the first pay of the following month.

Requesting Reimbursement

Your online MyFlex Advantage account provides access to an online claim submission tool for you to use when seeking reimbursement from your account. With this tool you have the ability to upload your scanned receipts and submit them electronically — eliminating the need for you to mail or fax your paperwork. Even if you cannot scan your receipts, this tool provides the ability for you to enter your claim information online and then print a cover sheet for mailing or faxing your receipts. Using the online claim submission tool will speed the processing of your claim. Paper claim forms are also available. If you are not able to obtain a receipt for your parking expense, complete the parking affidavit portion of the claim form.

Contributions must post to your account before reimbursement can occur. If the amount of a reimbursement request exceeds your account balance, the claim is processed up to the amount of your account balance.

Approved reimbursements are issued by direct deposit into a bank account designated by you or by check mailed to your home. Unused account funds will roll forward from month-to-month and year-to-year as long as you are employed with UPMC.

Access to check your account balance is provided at www.upmchealthplan.com/MyFlex.

What Happens to My Balance if I Leave UPMC?

If your employment with UPMC ends, you may submit for reimbursement eligible parking expenses that were incurred prior to your termination date. Submit the reimbursement claim form along with the appropriate documentation.

If the amount of eligible expenses submitted is less than your remaining balance when your UPMC employment ends, any unused funds are forfeited.

Benefits described may not be applicable to all staff. Some business units have unique benefit programs, certain job classifications may affect benefit eligibility, and contract terms determine benefits for physicians and members of collective bargaining units.