An Important Message for NCFlex Participants

March 2025

Is Your Mailing Address Up to Date?

Keeping your address up to date in your employer's HR/Payroll system is integral to ensuring you receive valuable communications about your benefits. NCFlex vendors rely on the address you have listed to contact you about claims, updates, replacement cards and similarly important information for any of the NCFlex benefits you're enrolled in.

For employees using FIORI, please keep in mind that if you have a mailing address listed, that address overrides your permanent address. If your permanent address is the same as your mailing address, consider keeping only your permanent address active.

Additionally, P&A Group provides account updates to those who have Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) based on the email or physical mail preference you've chosen in the past. P&A relies on your employer's HR/Payroll system for those who prefer physical mail. However, P&A uses the email address saved in its database. To review and update your email address and preferred method of contact, log into your online account or the P&A Group mobile app. You can also call P&A Group at 866-916-3475.

Not sure how to update your mailing address? Reach out to your HR department for assistance.

See Clearly This Spring

Now that spring is here, be sure you can see all the beauty blooming around you by scheduling your annual eye exam.

The Core Wellness Exam option of NCFlex's Vision Plan, administered by EyeMed, is available at no cost to state employees as long as they enroll in coverage. With the Vision Plan, you can receive an annual comprehensive eye exam for a $20 copay. If vision materials are needed, there are lens allowances and discounts on frames from providers in the EyeMed network.

Enjoying nature is far from the only reason an annual eye exam is important. According to EyeMed, an annual eye exam can:

Detect health issues: Having 20/20 vision doesn't mean your eyes are perfectly healthy. Serious eye diseases like glaucoma and cataracts often show no visible signs or symptoms. Having an eye doctor check your eyes each year can help detect concerns early and prevent complications.

Help children succeed in school: Proper eye care can impact how a child learns and performs in school. Routine eye exams ensure children's eyesight is developing correctly. What's more, because vision and learning are often so connected, children can be misdiagnosed with behavioral and learning disabilities when the problem is actually poor vision.

Provide peace of mind: It can be easy to dismiss certain issues with our eyes that seem minor. However, they could be signs of a more serious eye condition. An eye exam can alleviate worry and stress. Additionally, if you're continuously experiencing any of the following eye problems, consider visiting your eye doctor immediately:

• Redness of the eye
• Excessive/constant watering of eyes
• Eye pain
• Double or blurry vision
• Tiny speck appearing to float in front of your eyes
• Circles or halos around lights
• Computer eye strain

Looking for more robust vision coverage? NCFlex's Vision Plan also offers Basic and Enhanced options.

Reminder: FSA Filing Deadline is March 31

Participants of the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) have until the last day of March to submit claims dated January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024.

Dependent Day Care FSA (DDCFSA) participants with 2024 claims have until March 31, 2025, to file for reimbursement from their 2024 account. This includes any claims made within the 2024 DDCFSA grace period through March 15, 2025.

Refer to the February 2024 Member Newsletter for more.

Upcoming Webinar Opportunities

Benefits Webinars:

Join us to learn more about the NC 401(k) and 457 savings programs available to state employees. A representative from Empower will explain the benefits of these optional savings plans that can help you build a secondary source of retirement income to supplement your pension.

The conversation will highlight:

• Investment choices
• Differences between the two plans
• Pre-tax vs. Roth savings options
• Rolling over funds from a previous employer's retirement savings plan and more.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are a great way to make your money go further by utilizing pre-tax deductions on eligible expenses. Join us to learn more about the Health Care and Dependent Day Care FSAs that NCFlex offers.

Topics will include:

• How to view your account
• Submitting documentation when requested
• How the convenience card works compared to filing claims
• Eligible expenses
• What happens to the plans after you leave employment and more.

Worksite Wellness Webinars:



Join us for The Food & Mood Connection - Nutrients to Improve Mental Health

Foods that fight inflammation, promote a healthy microbiome and reinforce healthy dietary habits can contribute to our overall brain health by decreasing the risk for depression and much more. Join us to learn about changes you can make to eat more brain-boosting foods and positively affect your mental health.