The HealthEquity® Visa® card for dependent childcare is here—
more care, less hassle.
Get the care your family needs, then swipe or tap to make one more task disappear.
Pay recurring childcare expenses with the HealthEquity® Visa® card—weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Pay directly with your available dependent care funds.
No claims, no extra steps—just more time for what matters most.
Skip the cash-flow crunch—no more waiting for dependent care reimbursement when you pay for daycare expenses with the card at an established recurring daycare provider for a recurring amount.1
How to use your DCFSA Card
The DCFSA card works best for recurring childcare expenses
Before using your card for the first time, establish your recurring provider and recurring expense amount by submitting an eligible Pay Me Back childcare claim with a valid receipt. After that, simply pay with the debit card up to the original claim amount and the transaction is substantiated with your first claim receipt.2
Activate your card
New card? Activate your HealthEquity® Visa® debit Card by calling 866-296-2852. Already have a card? Your dependent care account funds are already added and ready to use alongside your other benefits.
Go mobile
Download the HealthEquity mobile app and add the card to your iOS or Android digital wallet fo tap-to-pay convenience. Your benefits are with you wherever you go.
Recurring transactions
One-time transactions
A great fit for your DCFSA card.*
Not a fit for card. Request reimbursement instead.
- Licensed daycare
- Preschool
- Ongoing childcare programs
- Before or after school programs
- Day camp
- Any one-off expenses
- The first claim of the year per provider (see section below)
*Providers must have a Point of Sale (POS) system with compatible Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) in order for card payments to succeed. If a merchant does not have compatible codes set up in their system, then qualified expenses may not process successfully via card and can instead be paid out of pocket then reimbursed.
Swipe or tap & save time
Swipe, insert, or tap to pay from your dependent care account after services are provided – pay weekly, biweekly or monthly. Your purchase cannot exceed the established recurring expense amount and the available balance on your card. Check it quickly in the HealthEquity mobile app.
For payment at the beginning of the month prior to services being received, read FAQ below.
Get back to what matters most
How to set up a recurring services provider and expense to pay after services are rendered
About HealthEquity
Follow the steps below for each childcare provider you want to pay by card. These steps must be repeated each plan year.
01
Establish your provider as a recurring services provider.
First, at least one expense from your childcare provider must be paid out of pocket and a claim with valid receipt submitted for reimbursement from your DCFSA. The receipt establishes your recurring provider and recurring expense amount. Typically, this is at the beginning of your plan year.
Make sure to keep your documentation for the next step! It establishes both the recurring provider and recurring amount and will be used to verify future debit card transactions in the plan year for this provider.
If you already paid out of pocket for services and filed a reimbursement claim this plan year, the valid receipt from that transaction establishes your amount and substantiation for future payments in the plan year —no need for a new receipt.
- First expense paid out of pocket
- Claim submitted from funds in your DCFSA
- Keep documentation for future transactions
02
Pay the next daycare expense at your recurring provider using your DCFSA debit card.
The transaction amount must be less than or equal to the amount of your initial claim when establishing the recurring provider. Substantiation for the transaction is the previously submitted receipt from your claim in step 1.
- Qualified expense
- Same provider
- Current plan year
- Less than or equal to previous expense
03
Subsequent daycare expenses with the same provider can be paid with your HealthEquity debit card
Transactions are substantiated in the same manner.
The dollar amount of recurring transactions must be less than or equal to the initial claim amount. Otherwise, you’ll need to repeat the process to establish a higher recurring amount with this provider. Keep in mind that purchases cannot exceed your DCFSA balance.
If using the DCFSA card to pay first of the month in advance of service rendered, see FAQ instructions below.
Any one-time, non-recurring transactions should continue to be paid out of pocket then reimbursed through your HealthEquity DCFSA account with a Pay Me Back claim and valid receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay for childcare with the card at the beginning of the month before services are provided in the month ahead?
Your daycare provider may expect payment in advance of the month, versus processing your payment transaction at month end after services are provided. After an initial paid out of pocket expense and valid receipt that establishes your recurring provider and recurring amount, the debit card could be used for this transaction.2
1) Funds must be available in your DCFSA to pay for the transaction.
2) The swipe transaction must be less than or equal to the established recurring amount.
3) The prior valid receipt for services already rendered and paid out of pocket is the substantiation for future transactions.
For example:
Mary has elected $7,500 of DCFSA coverage for the plan year through her employer, which reduces her monthly pay by a pre-tax deduction of $625 ($7,500 / 12 = $625). Mary uses childcare services every month for her son at Grow Happy Daycare. Mary receives her DCFSA debit card at the beginning of the benefit plan year in January.
Grow Happy Daycare charges a monthly fee of $500 that must be paid at the beginning of the month. On the first day of the month, Mary pays out of pocket for the first month of daycare services. She retains the January receipt. She does not file a claim for reimbursement for this out-of-pocket expense.
At the beginning of February, $625 is made available in her account and for use on her DCFSA debit card. Mary uses her DCFSA debit card on the first day of February for Grow Happy Daycare’s February fee. Mary submits her a valid receipt from Grow Happy Daycare for January’s expenses. Mary’s first receipt of the year establishes the recurring provider and recurring amount. All services paid for in advance must be rendered and received within the pre-paid month.
Mary continues to use her debit card on the 1st of each month, having established a recurring provider and recurring amount for Grow Happy Daycare. As long as there are available funds in her DCFSA, the transaction is with Grow Happy Daycare and does not exceed the previously substantiated amount (i.e., $500), no further substantiation is necessary.
What is a valid receipt for services rendered from my provider?
A valid receipt for services must include your dependent’s name, provider, service description, dates of service, and amounts for services rendered.
I know I have funds in my account but, my card was declined for a qualified dependent care expense. Why?
Your provider must have a point-of-sale system (POS) that includes a Merchant Category Code (MCC) for qualified dependent care expenses.3 If your card was declined, pay out of pocket and file a Dependent Care FSA reimbursement claim with valid receipt.
What if the recurring expense is greater than my available DCFSA balance?
Pay with the HealthEquity debit card up to your available balance, use another means of payment for the remainder. (e.g. check another credit or debit card)
Can I pay with my card for a day camp pre-registration?
No, DCFSA funds can only be used after services are rendered.
Can I pay for a one-time day camp or care expense after services are rendered?
It’s best to pay out of pocket and reimburse yourself with a Dependent Care FSA claim for one-time expenses. You could pay with the HealthEquity® Visa® card from your available balance, but the transaction will require substantiation with a receipt. If you use the card, keep your receipt, snap and upload a photo in the HealthEquity mobile app or web portal to substantiate the card use.
Can the Dependent Care FSA card be used for any other types of care expenses?
At this time, the DCFSA card can only be used for qualified expenses for eligible dependents under the age of 13.1
1. The DCFSA card is for qualified childcare expenses only at this time. Card use is currently not available for qualified elder care expenses, but don’t worry: these expenses remain eligible for manual reimbursement.
2. Under proposed Treasury Regulation § 1.125-6(g) guidelines for debit card substantiation a plan administrator can auto-approve a debit card transaction if the participant has already submitted an initial invoice or contract proving a regular, repeating pattern of care at that provider. Proposed Treasury Regulation § 1.125-6(g), published in Employee Benefits—Cafeteria Plans, 72 Fed. Reg. 43938 (Aug. 6, 2007), IRS/Treasury, REG-142695-05, RIN 1545-BF00, source Federal Register, “Employee Benefits—Cafeteria Plans,” https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2007/08/06/E7-14827/employee-benefits-cafeteria-plans
3 Providers must have a Point of Sale (POS) system with compatible Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for card payments to succeed. If a merchant does not have compatible codes set up in their system, then qualified expenses may not process successfully via card and can instead be paid out of pocket then reimbursed.
HealthEquity does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice.
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