Employer
Services
Health Reimbursement Arrangement Debit Card
As an alternative to paper claims filing, Cornerstone has
partnered with MBI/Metavante to issue debit cards to simplify the process
of paying for eligible expenses under pre-tax benefit accounts. Employees
can use the card at qualifying merchant locations wherever MasterCard®
or Visa® is accepted – from physician and dental offices to
pharmacies and vision service locations. Allowing employees to use the
card at the point of sale reduces the burden of having to pay money out-of-pocket,
completing a claim form and waiting
for a reimbursement.
FAQ's
- Who is MBI/Metavante?
- How does my company
benefit by providing employees the Cornerstone
Benefits Card?
- Does the card work
like a regular MasterCard®
or Visa® ? (i.e. Will my employees be able to use it at gas stations
and other ineligible locations?)
- Are there any legal/financial
risks to implementing the debit card?
- What type of accounts
can the card be used for?
- How can employees
manage the funds in their account?
- How will I educate
my employees about the MBI benefits card?
- Who else is using
the debit-card technology?
1.Who is MBI/Metavante?
MBI/Metavante introduced the very first debit card in
1998 and is now the leader in electronic benefit payment solutions. The
company’s software and technology make pre-tax benefit administration
easier and more convenient for end users, helping them get more from pre-tax
benefit accounts. Back
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2. How does
my company benefit by providing employees the Cornerstone Benefits Card?
The Cornerstone Benefits Card is a great addition to any benefits package
because it saves you money. By providing the card, employers realize,
on average, a 25% increase in participation in pre-tax benefit accounts
and a 28% increase in per-employee contributions. These increases can
significantly impact your bottom line due to the savings you incur in
FICA taxes. In addition, the card adds value to your benefit package because
employees will love the time, savings and convenience that it offers.
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3. Does the
card work like a regular MasterCard® or Visa® ? (i.e. Will my employees
be able to use it at gas stations and other ineligible locations?)
The Cornerstone Benefits Card can only be used at eligible FSA locations.
In addition, the card is used in conjunction with Cornerstone’s
software platform that reviews all transactions electronically to be sure
that they pass a set of eligibility rules established by your plan.
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4. Are there
any legal/financial risks to implementing the debit card?
No, IRS Revenue Ruling 2003-43 virtually eliminated any risk to the employer
by placing responsibility on the employee.
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5. What type
of accounts can the card be used for?
The Cornerstone Benefits Card can be used for Section 132 Transit Plans,
Dependent Care Accounts, Section 105 Defined Benefit Accounts, and Qualified
Tuition Reimbursement Accounts. Also, your employees can access all of
these accounts simultaneously on
one card.
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6. How can employees
manage the funds in their account?
Employees will have 24x7 access to their account information
online. A cardholder can logon to our website and view their account balances
for all types of accounts, status of claims (POS/manual), frequently asked
questions, the ability to report a card lost/stolen, an option to email
statements to a cardholder’s personal account and transaction history
for three years.
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7. How will
I educate my employees about the MBI benefits card?
In most cases, employers can use their open enrollment meetings to teach
employees about their benefits card. Cornerstone can help you educate
cardholders and provide communication pieces that explain how to use the
card.
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8. Who else
is using the debit-card technology?
Currently, MBI has approximately 1.8 million cardholders covering 19,000
employers nationwide. A few examples of companies who have the MBI Card
are: Staples® , Walt Disney®, Ann Taylor, Citigroup® , Krispy Kreme®, Sprint®,
Lands' End, SC Johnson®, eBay®, Con Agra Foods®, Dow Jones®, Monster.com®,
MasterCard® and British Airways.
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