Express Scripts (ESI) has made a change to how GLP-1 prescriptions are filled/refilled. Effective June 15, 2025, GLP-1 medications will no longer be eligible for fulfillment at Walgreens or Costco pharmacies or through ESI Home Delivery. Members can continue to fill GLP-1 medications at other in-network pharmacies. Please login to express-scripts.com or use the ESI mobile app to find in-network pharmacies. If you currently have a GLP-1 prescription, the fastest way to get your medication is to ask your doctor to send a new prescription to an in-network retail pharmacy. You can also ask the new retail pharmacy to contact your current pharmacy to transition any remaining refills you have left. This change only impacts GLP-1 prescriptions. Walgreens and Costco pharmacies along with ESI Home Delivery continue to be in-network and can fill other eligible prescriptions. If you have any questions, please contact FAES Insurance for assistance.
FAES makes it simple for Fellows to acquire the health insurance coverage they need for working or training at NIH. We have partnered with Luminare Health® (formerly Trustmark), and MetLife to provide insurance plans that include medical/prescription, dental and vision for you or your family.
FAES is committed to meeting the insurance needs of Fellows and their families. Our friendly and knowledgeable support staff are here to assist you with understanding your plan benefits and responsibilities as well as the many health-related services available to you during your tenure here at NIH.
Business Hours
Hours: 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Monday-Friday
Contact Us
Phone: 301-496-8063
E-mail: FAESinsurance@mail.nih.gov
Fax: 301-480-3585
The FAES Insurance Office is open Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment. Please contact FAES by phone at 301-496-8063 or email faesinsurance@mail.nih.gov to schedule an appointment. Insurance representatives continue to be available by phone and email Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We continue to process new enrollments, renewals, and terminations via email and offer Virtual Video Health Insurance Consultations. Please email us to schedule a virtual meeting.

Announcement

Important Announcement Regarding Changes On How To Fill GLP-1 Prescriptions
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FAES knows that as an NIH Fellow, you’re looking for exceptional benefits, efficient communication, and an intuitive and time-saving enrollment process. It’s our goal to offer highly-competitive benefits with premiums less than or equal to the federal rate increase for the current plan year.
FAES offers all Fellows a health plan:
Please refer to the many available resources explaining how your plans work, how your benefits are paid, and, most importantly, how to get the most out of your various insurance plans.
FAES Benefit Information
November 1, 2024 - October 31, 2025, Plan Year
Please visit FAQs for further information.
Plan documents are available upon request. Please contact a FAES insurance representative.
Steps to Enroll in the Plan
You never know where life is going to take you, but with our health plans you can count on the support you need to live a healthier life. From preventive services to our extensive network of providers and resources, FAES and our health care partners are there when you need us.
We will work together to help you get well and stay well…so for a few minutes of your time at no cost to you, enroll today.
Here’s how:
STEP 1 Determine if you are eligible
STEP 2 Determine if it is the right time to enroll. Self & Dependent(s)
STEP 3 Determine which (if any) family members you want to include on your plan
STEP 4 Provide FAES with NIH Fellowship Activation Forms
STEP 5 Complete the FAES Election Form
STEP 6 Submit the forms via email or fax
The completed NIH Fellowship Activation Form and completed FAES Election Form to FAES Insurance
E-mail: FAESinsurance@mail.nih.gov
Secure Fax: 301- 480-3585Enjoy your coverage!
If you have any questions or need help completing these steps, please contact us.
Trainee Professional Liability
Effective June 1, 2023: All non-FTE fellows are covered by the Trainee Professional Liability Insurance Program. The Liability Insurance (FEPLI) Program offers both legal defense and financial liability coverage and protects covered fellows from allegations of misconduct.
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The Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) provides up-to-date information and resources for emergency care, prescription coverage and Quest and LabCorp facilities. You can download the forms you need below. If you have additional questions, check out our FAQ or contact a FAES insurance representative.
Business Hours
Hours: 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Monday-Friday
Contact Us
Phone: 301-496-8063
E-mail: FAESinsurance@mail.nih.gov
Fax: 301-480-3585
Create an account with Luminare Health® (formerly Trustmark) and MetLife
How do I register for an account with Luminare Health® (formerly Trustmark)?
Creating an account with Luminare Health will enable you to:
- access your plan information
- print out a temporary member I.D card and request a new card to be mailed to you
- view your explanation of benefits (EOBs) every time you visit a provider
Visit www.myluminarehealth.com
Go to Register > Participant > Create Your Account
How do I register for an account with MetLife Dental and Vision
MetLife MyBenefits account provides you with a personalized, integrated, and secure view of your MetLife delivered benefits. You can take advantage of a number of self-service capabilities as well as a wealth of easy to access information.
- Visit www.Metlife.com/mybenefits
- Enter Employer Name: FAES
Find a Doctor
How do I find a doctor?
Find lab services
What do I do if I need to access lab services (e.g., blood work, allergy tests, etc.)?
There are two (2) in-network labs with our insurance coverage, LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics. Please visit the links below to find a lab near you:
What happens if I want to use another lab services provider?
Find an urgent care facility
How do I know if I should go to a hospital Emergency Room or an urgent care facility?
How can I find an urgent care facility near me?
Generic vs. brand-name drugs
What’s the difference between brand-name and generic drugs?
How much can I save by switching to generic drugs?
Insurance Plan Questions
Who is my insurance company?
Is health insurance required for all Postdoctoral IRTA/CRTA and VF trainees?
Excerpt from the NIH IRTA Policy:
All trainees must have adequate health insurance coverage to receive training in NIH facilities. This requirement may be satisfied by a policy held either in the Trainee's name or in another's name with the Trainee identified as a family member. Verification of health insurance enrollment is required. (https://policymanual.nih.gov/2300-320-7#710C5A2E)
What should I do if I lose insurance coverage from a non-FAES plan and need to enroll in the FAES insurance plan?
Loss of coverage is a qualifying event to enroll in FAES Insurance. You must enroll in the FAES insurance plan within 30 days from the loss of coverage date. If you experience a qualifying event to enroll in or change coverage, FAES must receive the following within 30 days of the date of your qualifying event.
- For Enrollment after Loss of Insurance Coverage:
- FAES Election Form
- Fellowship Activation Forms (pages 1, 2, and 3)
- The "Effective Date of Change" on page 2 should be the day after the loss of coverage date
- Pages 1 and 3 of the Fellowship Activation Forms must be signed by the fellow
- Page 1 must also be signed by the PI or Fellowship Sponsor
- Proof of loss of coverage (letter from the non-FAES insurance stating coverage, name of insured, and coverage termination date)
- If you are also enrolling a spouse and/or dependents, FAES must also receive:
- Marriage Certificate for spouse and/or Birth Certificates for all child dependents (in English)
- If dependents do not have a social security number, FAES will need a copy of their passports with the stamped date of arrival in the U.S. or I-94 form (dependents must be in the U.S.)
- Marriage Certificate for spouse and/or Birth Certificates for all child dependents (in English)
- For Enrollment of a Spouse or Dependent following Loss of Insurance Coverage:
- FAES Change Form
- Marriage Certificate for spouse and/or Birth Certificate for all dependent children (in English)
- If enrollment of a spouse or dependents will change your insurance coverage from individual to family coverage, you must also provide FAES with updated Fellowship Activation Forms.
- The "Effective Date of Change" on page 2 should be the day after the loss of coverage date.
- Pages 1 and 3 of the Fellowship Activation Forms must be signed by the fellow
- Page 1 must also be signed by the PI or Fellowship Sponsor
- Proof of Loss of Coverage (letter from your spouse or dependents' insurance plan stating the coverage, names of insured, and coverage termination date)
We will be having a baby soon, what do I need to do to add my newborn to the health insurance plan?
If you have a qualifying event to change coverage, we will need the following within 30 days of the qualifying event date:
- Newborn:
- FAES Change Form
- Proof of live birth letter or discharge paperwork stating the date of birth of the child
- Birth Certificate and Social Security Number can be provided later since they may take over 30 days to obtain.
- If this changes the fellow’s coverage from individual to family coverage, we need to update fellowship activation forms.
- Fellowship activation forms: pages 1, 2 and 3
- The effective date of change should be the date of birth of the newborn on page 2
- Page 1 and 3 signed by fellow
- Page 1 signed by PI/fellowship sponsor
- Fellowship activation forms: pages 1, 2 and 3
I am getting married; what do I need to do to add my spouse to my health insurance plan?
If you have a qualifying event to change coverage, we will need the following within 30 days of the qualifying event date:
- Marriage:
- FAES Change Form
- Marriage Certificate
- If this changes the fellow’s coverage from individual to family coverage, we need to update fellowship activation forms.
- Fellowship activation forms: pages 1, 2 and 3
- The effective date of the change should be the date of the marriage on page 2
- Page 1 and 3 signed by fellow
- Fellowship activation forms: pages 1, 2 and 3
I just arrived at the NIH as a trainee; what do I need to do to enroll in health insurance?
New Hire Enrollments: We will need the following within 30 days of the new hire date.
- FAES Election Form
- Fellowship activation forms: pages 1, 2 and 3
- The level of coverage selected on page 2
- Page 1 and 3 signed by fellow
- Page 1 signed by PI/fellowship sponsor
- If they are enrolling dependents (spouse or children)
- Proof of relationship: marriage certificate for spouse and birth certificate for children
- If the dependents do not have a social security number, we will need:
- A copy of their passports with the stamped date of arrival in the U.S. or I-94 form (dependents must be in the U.S.)
- If the dependents do not have a social security number, we will need:
- Proof of relationship: marriage certificate for spouse and birth certificate for children
How much of the monthly premium do I have to pay?
How do I submit a medical claim for reimbursement to Luminare Health (formerly Trustmark)?
What do I do if my medical claim is denied and I want to appeal the decision?
For information on a denied claim, you can contact Luminare Health (formerly Trustmark) Customer Service at 888-270-2044. The FAES Insurance team is available to assist you with navigating the claims and appeals process.
Information on appeals can be found in the paperwork with your explanation of benefits (EOB) from Luminare Health. Complete, detach, copy and send in the form provided on your EOB within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days from receipt of notification of the denial. Include the reasons you feel the claim should not have been denied along with any additional information and comments relevant to the claim. You are entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, copies of all documents relevant to the denial. You will be notified of the decision within a reasonable period of time, not later than 60 days after the plan receives your request for review.
Please see the Insurance Claims and Verification Info Sheet for more information.
What do I do if I receive a medical bill from a provider?
For in-network providers:
- Review the bill and check if it notes any payment from the insurance carrier, Luminare Health (formerly Trustmark).
- If the bill does not contain insurance payment information, please contact the provider’s office and inform them of the insurance information on the front of your ID card.
- Request your provider to submit the claim for processing to Luminare Health (formerly Trustmark).
- If you encounter issues or have questions during this process, please contact the FAES Insurance Department for additional assistance.
For out-of-network providers:
In most circumstances, out-of-network providers will not submit a claim on your behalf.
- Complete a Luminare Health Claim Form with proof of payment and documentation.
- Submit the Form with supporting documents to Luminare Health (formerly Trustmark) for processing via one of the following methods:
- EMAIL:
- HBEVClaimsubmission@luminarehealth.com In the subject line, write “FAES OON Claim Submission.”
- PORTAL:
- Sign in to your www.myluminarehealth.com account
- Click on the link for “Messages.”
- Select “General Inquiry”
- In the Subject line, type “OON Claim Submission.”
- Attach claim/itemized statement/proof of payment
- MAIL TO:
- Luminare Health
PO Box 2920
Clinton, IA 52733-2920
- Luminare Health
- EMAIL:
- If you encounter issues or have questions during this process, please contact the FAES Insurance Department for additional assistance.
What do I do if I need to submit a prescription claim?
Am I covered while I am traveling abroad?
There is no network to access your FAES medical and prescription drug plan outside of the US. If you
have a medical emergency and are outside of the US – here are your care options:
1. Utilizing your FAES medical and prescription drug coverage while outside of the US: You
are only covered in a true emergency. The FAES medical and prescription plan only
covers emergency care outside the US. To help define what constitutes emergency care, please
see below:
An accidental injury, or the sudden onset of an illness where the acute symptoms are of
sufficient severity (including severe pain) so that a prudent layperson who possesses an
average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect the absence of
immediate medical attention to result in:
- Placing the covered individual’s life (or with respect to a pregnant woman, the
- health of the woman or her unborn child) in serious jeopardy or
- Causing other serious medical consequences, or
- Causing serious impairment to bodily functions, or
- Causing serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
Please note that if you have an emergency and need to seek care, you will have to pay the
costs upfront out-of-pocket. You will then submit for reimbursement and will need to
provide supporting documentation. You are responsible for all out-of-network
deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. It is highly recommended before you leave the
facility to get all documentation with details surrounding procedures, treatments, codes,
and proof of payments.
2. While in the country of your home residence, You need to evaluate your access to care options
as a resident of your home country.
3. COVID Exposure, Symptoms, & Testing for Travel
- Emergency: If your COVID symptoms become severe enough to be defined as an emergency and meet the parameters listed above, please access emergency care.
- Local Care: To verify COVID-19 care within your home country, please consult local COVID care guidelines and access to care.
- Expatriate Support: Subscribers can consult with the US Embassy or Consulate in the Country they are visiting to determine testing sites. If the person is a citizen of the Country they are visiting they can seek out local testing options for citizens.
- Travel Purposes: Your FAES medical and prescription drug plan does not cover testing for travel purposes.
My NIH Fellowship is being renewed for another year. What do I need to do to make sure my health insurance plan doesn’t stop?
I am leaving the NIH; what are my options?
All Fellows must provide a Fellowship Termination Notification to FAES when leaving the NIH or transitioning to a full-time employment position (FTE) with NIH. The form may be faxed to 301-480-3585 or emailed to faesinsurance@mail.nih.gov.
Our continuation of coverage administrator, BRI, will send follow-up information on how to continue health insurance coverage.
What are my continuation of coverage benefits?
Will my spouse and/or dependents receive a health insurance card?
What if I need to see a doctor before I get my insurance card?
How do I obtain the insurance plan documents?
What can I do if I lost my member ID card?
I never received my member ID card; what should I do?
Are domestic partners eligible to be covered under the plan?
Can I terminate my plan at any time?
Are dental and vision covered under my plan?
How do I find a dental and vision provider?
Will I receive a MetLife Dental and Vision card?
Are telemedicine visits covered?
Yes, below is the in-network and out-of-network coverage. Please consult with your provider if they are capable of telemedicine visits.
In-network telemedicine visits:
- Primary Care Provider: $15 Copayment
- Specialist: $25 Copayment
Out-of-network telemedicine visits:
- Deductible then 30%
Can I be enrolled as the primary subscriber and a dependent under a spouse’s policy if both policies are under the FAES plan?
Mental Health
Can I see an out-of-network mental health provider?
Is Talkspace covered under FAES Insurance?
Additional questions and answers
What is the No Surprises Act?
In December 2020, Congress signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) into law. One section of the new law, referred to as the No Surprises Act, contains new requirements for cost transparency and provides protections for consumers against surprise medical billing. The changes you will see in response to the No Surprises Act are:
- ID Cards will include benefit information for Office Visit Copays, Specialist Copays, Emergency Room Copays, Medical Deductibles Individual & Family and Maximum Out of Pocket Limits Individual & Family
- Surprise Billing – Plan participants are protected from surprise bills from emergency or non-emergency situations where the participant could not choose an in-network provider. Participants are only responsible for in-network cost-sharing amounts and out-of-network providers cannot balance bill members for any amount exceeding the in-network allowed charges.
- Price Comparison Tool – You will have access to an online tool to compare prices between providers and facilities when making decisions on services beginning January 1, 2023
- Continuity of Care – Insurance carriers will notify members when a provider or facility leaves the network, and they will provide transitional coverage to ensure continuity of care for members
- Advanced Explanation of Benefits (this is not in place yet because final regulations are pending) – These Advanced EOB’s will require providers to provide a good faith estimate for the cost of services for plan participants and send the estimate to the insurance company
- Independent Dispute Resolution – If a provider disputes the amount that the insurance carrier pays, there is now an Independent Review Process that can be started to coordinate negotiations between the provider and the insurance carrier. This is in place to eliminate Surprise bills for members.
- Machine Readable Files – Beginning July 1, 2022, medical in-network provider negotiated rates and historical out-of-network allowed amounts must be posted and available online. These files must be updated monthly. Access these Machine Readable Files with this link and select Aetna Signature Administrators.
- Pharmacy Benefit and Drug Cost Reporting (currently delayed until December 31, 2022, and pending further guidance) – Pharmacy Benefit Managers must provide reporting on drugs in a number of categories and include cost and rebate information for that medication.
How do I access Machine Readable Files?
Does FAES provide professional liability coverage for Trainees?
Additional questions
If you didn’t find the answers to your questions here, please contact an FAES insurance representative:
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday
Phone: 301.496.8063
E-mail: FAESinsurance@mail.nih.gov
Secure Fax: 301.480.3585
For more information
Contact Us
