ProBenefits, Inc.

Probenefits is terrible! They claim to notify you and give you a mpnth to take action if action is needed after a transaction before the card is turned off. That is untrue. Furthermore, I have submitted the necessary documentation numerous times and the card has still not been turned back on. I have called and emailed numerous times trying to resolve the matter. I was told to get different documentation from the provider stating the patient was receiving treatment on that date and the anticipated date treatment was to end. I did that. At one point the emails would not even go through. I had to call the company AGAIN. They said there mailboxes were full. A bit unprofessional in my opinion. Keep in mind by this point they had asked for four different types of documentation. In contrast, I have a flex spending account through RSC for my workplace and NEVER had an issue. The sad part? I can’t even use the probenefits card (which is my husband’s card from the hospital where he works) to pay the hospital bill at that very same hospital.

Review: The company that I work for uses ProBenefits to administer our Flexible Spending Accounts. On 1/27/14, I used my ProBenefits FSA [redacted] to pay a bill for medical services that I had received on 12/26/13. On 1/28/14, I received an email from ProBenefits requesting documentation for the expense, and I provided them with a statement from the medical provider via email. On January 29, 2014 I received an email from ProBenefits stating that "This notice is to inform you that your Flex Card is currently blocked." I received no other warnings or notifications of any kind prior to finding out that my card was blocked. The email also stated that I could continue to submit expenses for reimbursement by filling out claim forms, but obviously that is a much more difficult way to access FSA funds. I later discovered that the expense was ineligible because it was from 2013 and we had already used all of our FSA funds from 2013. I complained both to ProBenefits and to my company's HR department and my card was restored, but ProBenefits told me that they would not consider changing their policy. I think it is terrible policy to block access to FSA funds without giving the customer any advance notification that there is a problem or any opportunity to resolve the problem.Desired Settlement: I would like ProBenefits to change their policy so that customers have a reasonable amount of time (30 days?) to resolve issues with their Flexible Spending Accounts before blocking usage of their FSA cards.

Business

Response:

We administer a benefit plan on behalf of the individual’s

employer. We have been in touch with the

individual and with the individual’s employer and communicated our procedure in

these circumstances. Our primary

responsibility as the employer’s plan service provider is to ensure the plan’s legal

compliance with the numerous rules applicable to employee benefit plans. The policies we have developed after careful

deliberation and administration over many years are designed with the primary

responsibility of plan compliance in mind.

These policies exist to protect the tax-favored status of benefits for

all plan participants, including the individual who made the complaint.

While one goal of our plan administration is easy

accessibility for participants, we must balance this goal with our

responsibility to protect the plan. In

all cases, we act in accordance with the procedures outlined in the plan

documentation. Due to the nature of the

complaint and HIPAA guidelines, we are unable to give further details in this

forum, but we are happy to discuss in further depth with the individual and

will do our best to communicate the procedures so that the participant is able

to understand them going forward and avoid any Flex Card issues.

Any further questions or requests may be directed to me, and

I will assist however I can.

Assistant Counsel & Compliance Director

ProBenefits, Inc.

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