Step 1: Swipe
Swipe your benefits debit card at point-of-sale for eligible products and services. If the purchase is greater than your account balance, you can split the cost at the register.
Step 2: Substantiate (verify)
Keep all your receipts. It’s a good idea to save all your receipts as they may be requested by Region 1, or the IRS for review.
Auto approval. Most major pharmacies and retail chains utilize a system called IIAS that will auto-substantiate certain purchases. This means that it will automatically approve eligible expenses without requiring submission of receipts. For a complete listing of merchants that are IIAS members click here.
Examples of expenses that are typically approved at point-of-sale:
• Prescription medicines purchased at pharmacies and large retails stores that utilize the IIAS inventory system.
• Medical co-payment amounts in $5 increments to a maximum of $50/visit.
Paper receipts. If your purchase is not automatically approved, your purchase will be placed in pending status. You will then be notified by email, or mail, to submit receipts to Region 1 for verification of eligibility per IRS guidelines.
You can send verification in the form of itemized receipts to Region 1 either by email, fax, postal service, or by uploading them onto your participant portal.
If we do not receive verification from you within 30 days, your transaction will be considered ineligible, and your card will be temporarily inactivated. Resolution may involve repayment of the ineligible purchase. Please pay attention to your email account if you are using the benefits debit card.
Easy to Check Your Balance
By logging in to your online Participant Portal, you can easily view your transaction history, current balance, claim status, and more. If you haven’t already, you will need to register for access before your first login. Or you can simply call us by using the number on the back of your card: (800) 450-2990.