Health Care Savings Program - MERS | Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Michigan

THE FLEXIBLE, AFFORDABLE ANSWER TO RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS

Now that you’ve left your employer, you — and your spouse and other dependents — can use your MERS Health Care Savings Program account for tax-free medical expense reimbursements. You must be vested at termination to withdraw your employer’s contributions.

How it works

Once your employer tells us about your separation, we will send you information on how to begin receiving reimbursements from your account.

If you are vested, your account including both your and your employer’s contributions, plus market performance, minus fees is available to reimburse you for eligible medical expenses to you, your spouse or legal dependents. View the complete list of these eligible medical expenses (pdf).

Once you separate from employment, you will see a transfer of up to $1,000 of your assets (depending on your account balance) deposited into a money market fund (pdf) through Alerus. This ensures appropriate assets are available for reimbursement at the time you begin using your account for reimbursement of medical expenses. Your total account balance will always reflect the full market value as of the last business day and claims will be processed until your account reaches zero balance.

While money is still in the account, you’ll continue to monitor the investments you’ve select from the streamlined MERS Investment Menu. For more information, please read Understanding the MERS Investment Menu (pdf).

Learn more

Click the links below for more about the MERS Health Care Savings Program.

Publications
- Understanding the MERS Investment Menu (pdf).
- You’ll receive quarterly statements detailing your retirement account.
Online
- You can also log into your account to find up-to-the-minute information about your MERS retirement at any time.
Service Center
- Our Service Center offers friendly, knowledgeable, over-the-phone assistance for a wide variety of benefit questions and issues. Service Center Staff is available during business hours at 800.767.2308.

HIPPA

View HIPAA Privacy Practice

Eligible Expenses

Eligible Expenses and Reimbursement Options (pdf)

Submitting Receipts
How to submit a receipt, verifying purchases made using HCSP funds. You can submit your receipt(s) through one of the following:

MyMERS
Upload a copy of your receipt to the Claims Management Portal in your myMERS account. View step-by-step instructions for this option.
App
Download the Alerus Health Benefits app to your smartphone. Use your phone’s camera to take a picture of your receipt and submit it through the app. Information on downloading and logging into the app. Watch a video detailing how to use the app to submit receipts.
Mail*
Mail a copy of your receipt to:
Alerus
PO Box 64535
St Paul MN 55164

*If you send in your documentation by mail, please include a copy of this letter. For security purposes, do not send documentation that includes your full Social Security Number.

Claims Management

Claims Management Portal and Reimbursement Guide (pdf)

Alerus Moblie App

– Using the App (pdf)

– Using the App (video)