Spending accounts are offered to covered members by employers as a flexible complement to regular group benefits and include Health Spending Accounts (HSA) and/or Wellness Spending Accounts (WSA).
Each plan year, your employer loads your credits (dollars) into your spending account. If you have both an HSA and a WSA, you decide how to split your credits between the two accounts each year based on your needs.
Health Spending Account
If you have an HSA, it can be used to help pay for eligible health-related expenses that are not fully covered under your ASEBP benefits or provincial health care insurance plan. It also provides you with a tax advantage by using tax-free dollars to pay for eligible expenses. Generally, if a medical expense is eligible for reimbursement through your benefit plan with ASEBP, it is eligible for your HSA. Most medical expenses that qualify for an HSA fall under this category.
Wellness Spending Account
If you allocate credits to your WSA, you can use them to pay for eligible wellness-related expenses. The WSA reimburses products, services, and activities that help you feel better, stay healthy, or improve your overall well-being. Depending on which WSA plan you have, the eligible expenses differ and offer a broader range of lifestyle and well-being expenses.
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- Under the WSA 1 plan for education workers other than teachers, eligible expenses include family care, health support, fitness and sports activities and equipment, professional development, technology, and transportation.
- Under the WSA 2 plan for teachers, eligible expenses include family care, health-related technology, and health support, fitness and sports activities and equipment.
If you are unsure what type of spending account you have, you can log in to My ASEBP and view the Spending Account Activity tab under Benefits, or the My ASEBP Mobile App under the My Benefits tab.
Changes coming to Wellness Spending Accounts
Effective September 1, 2026, ASEBP is refreshing the eligibility and ineligibility criteria under the WSA to keep the plan focused on health and wellness. These changes may impact your allocation choice on your spending account credits for the 2026/27 plan year.
WSA eligibility criteria will be redefined to better focus the WSA on specific wellness-related supports that directly promote overall well-being for you and your family. Category definitions will be updated to provide clearer direction, shifting the focus from item type to the connection between an expense and the wellness benefit or outcome.
Depending on your plan (WSA 1 or WSA 2), several new items will be eligible under your WSA for the 2026/27 plan year. Some examples applicable to both WSA 1 and WSA 2 include, but are not limited to:
- A wider range of leisure pursuits, including arts and crafts, drama, music, reading, writing, learning, and personal growth
- Board games, card games, and puzzles
- Video game consoles, accessories, and video or computer games
- Sporting activities and equipment that support physical activity, skill development, or organized participation, such as lessons, leagues, or instructional programs
- Certain home furnishings that support wellness activities such as sleep or learning (e.g., mattresses, pillows, desks, and desk chairs)
- Meal replacement or protein drinks and powders for weight management or chronic conditions (no physician’s order required)
- A wider range of experience-based events, including concerts, theatre, cinemas, amusement parks, zoos, live sporting events, adventure activities, and science centres and museums
- Shipping and handling fees on purchases eligible under your WSA
Common daily living expenses associated with basic, routine household or personal use such as groceries, pet care, or vehicle maintenance, are ineligible to claim under the WSA. This ensures your WSA remains focused, sustainable, and aligned with its purpose of supporting meaningful health and wellness needs.
Many products and services are eligible under your WSA, and ASEBP encourages you to explore your options before purchasing an item or service.
Examples of eligible items in each category under the WSA is available on the Spending Accounts page along with more information about Health Spending Accounts. You can also watch this short video to learn how to make the most of your spending accounts.
Upcoming spending account deadlines
Allocation deadline
If you have both a Health and Wellness Spending Account, you have until August 31 at 11:59 p.m. MT to decide how to allocate your spending account credits for the 2026-27 school year. For example, you can allocate 70 per cent to your HSA and 30 per cent to your WSA, or 100 per cent to your HSA and zero per cent to your WSA.
Once you allocate through your My ASEBP account, you can still make changes to your allocation any time before the August 31 deadline. If you miss this deadline, all credits for the year will automatically go to your HSA, as it is the most tax-effective option.
If your contract ends at the end of the school year (e.g., late June), you will have a chance to allocate your spending account credits when employment begins during the next school year.
Run-off period
Once the plan year ends on August 31, you have an additional 60 days (September 1 to October 30) to submit any expenses you incurred during the previous plan year. This is called the run-off period. For example, if you have expenses from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, that still need to be submitted to your HSA or WSA, you have until October 30, 2026, to submit them.
After the October 30 run-off period, any unused credits will be carried forward for one additional plan year. If you do not use these credits in the second plan year, they will be forfeited back to your employer. ASEBP uses your carried forward credits first to minimize the risk of forfeiting credits for the upcoming year.
If you need help navigating your spending accounts or have more specific questions, please visit the Spending Accounts page or contact one of ASEBP’s benefit specialists.