Paying With the Carrot Card
After you register with Carrot, you can request a Carrot Card — a prepaid debit card that’s funded and preloaded by UC. The Carrot Card ensures that you are not responsible for any out-of-pocket costs when you use it to pay for eligible expenses, up to the $30,000 lifetime maximum. Each time you use your card, you’ll receive an email requesting a receipt for verification of the expense. Just submit your itemized statement!
The Carrot Card will be mailed to you within 1–2 weeks of your request. Make sure to activate your card before using it for the first time. Once you start using the card, you can track your spending and view your balance online in your Carrot account.
You can also pay out of pocket and submit a claim to Carrot for reimbursement.
After you receive care, you must complete the following tasks to ensure you’re taxed correctly.
If You Pay Out of Pocket and Submit a Claim to Carrot
When you submit your receipts to Carrot, you’ll be asked to verify certain information to determine whether the services are taxable:
- Was the care received related to an infertility diagnosis issued by a fertility doctor?
- Was the care received considered by a doctor to be medically necessary due to another treatment that could affect reproductive health, such as chemotherapy or surgery?
If the answer to these questions is “no,” your benefits will be reported as taxable income.
Once the expense has been approved, you will receive notification with a disclaimer on taxability. Taxes are based on where you live and the type of care you received.
If you have additional questions about what information you need to submit (itemized bills, invoices, documentation, receipts, etc.), you can connect with a Carrot Care Team member at (855) 459-0059 from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
If You Pay With Your Carrot Card
If you pay your provider using your Carrot Card, you must provide proper documentation for the expense within 30 days of the treatment or service. Your documentation must clearly demonstrate that the treatment or service received meets the definition of a qualified medical expense. Otherwise, the value of the treatment or service will automatically be reported as taxable income, even if it may not be. If you are not sure whether a treatment or service qualifies as a QME, contact Carrot.
At the end of this process, you will have to acknowledge that taxes may apply. For more information, visit the Carrot Help Center for articles about taxability and qualified medical expenses.
If you have additional questions about what information you need to submit (itemized bills, invoices, documentation, receipts, etc.), you can connect with a Carrot Care Team member at (855) 459-0059 from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
Get Started With Carrot
To get started, visit get-carrot.com/signup to create your account. Register using your UC resident or fellow email address as entered in PlanSource or submitted to your program coordinator, so Carrot can confirm you are a UC resident or fellow. You can change your email address after you register.
Want to Learn More?
For answers directly from the experts, view the recorded webinar and Q&A below.
