Insurance Programs

As a Federal employee, you may be able to enroll in health, life, dental, and vision insurance and apply for long term care insurance. Click on the tabs below to learn more about each program.

Newly Eligible and Transferring Federal Employees

Newly eligible Federal employees should refer to the NIH New Employees Benefits Enrollment page for additional guidance on enrollment in the benefit programs.

Current Federal employees who are transferring to NIH from another federal agency outside of the Department of Health and Human Services should refer to the NIH Transfer Employee Benefits Information page for information on how your benefits will transfer to NIH from your prior agency.

Insurance Changes

If you are currently employed by NIH, are enrolled in a program and experience a life event, you may be eligible to make a change within a limited timeframe. Common qualifying life events (QLE) include marriage, divorce, birth of a child, and a spouse's loss of health coverage. If you have not experienced a permitted QLE, you must wait until the annual open season to make changes, which runs from mid-November through mid-December. For questions, send an email to AskBenefits.

The effective date for most benefit changes will be the beginning of the pay period following receipt of the form, unless otherwise indicated. Beneficiary forms become effective the date the Human Resources Office receives a valid designation form.

Program	You May	Timeframe	How	Additional Info
Health Insurance	Enroll, add family members, or change plans	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	* Complete SF-2809, including family member eligibility documents, if applicable, and submit to Benefits Office. SF 2809 may be digitally signed with your PIV card and may be e-mailed with supporting documents to your Benefits Contact.	** Effective date will be the first day of the following pay period after you submit the SF-2809. Must provide documentation of the Marriage.
Dental and Vision Insurance	Enroll, add family members, or change plans	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	BENEFEDS Portal
Life Insurance	Elect or increase coverage	Within 60 days after QLE	Complete form SF-2817 and submit to Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch.	Must provide documentation of the Marriage.
Flexible Spending Accounts	Enroll and/or change current election(s)	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	FSAFEDS website	You cannot enroll or make changes after October 1. You must wait until Open Season.
Beneficiary Forms	Complete/update	Anytime	Beneficiary forms	A designation will still be valid even if your relationship or family situation has changed.

*Already have a Self and Family enrollment: you do not have to complete a new election form. Instead, contact your health plan to inform them of the new family member(s).

**Effective date will be the first day of the following pay period after you submit the SF-2809. NOTE: If you submit the SF-2809 prior to your wedding date, coverage will be effective the beginning of the following pay period, however your spouse and/or children of your spouse will not be covered until the actual day of the wedding.

NOTE: Legal separations are not considered a QLE. The divorce must be official and final.

Program	You May	Timeframe	How	Additional Info
Health Insurance	Decrease enrollment or change plans	Within 60 days after QLE	* Complete SF-2809, including family member eligibility documents, if applicable, and submit to Benefits Office. SF 2809 may be digitally signed with your PIV card and may be e-mailed with supporting documents to your Benefits Contact.	** Provide copy of divorce decree.
Dental and Vision Insurance	Decrease enrollment	31 days before QLE - to anytime after	BENEFEDS Portal
Life Insurance	Elect, increase or decrease coverage	Within 60 days after QLE	Complete form SF-2817 and submit to Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch.	If you have Family coverage (Option C) and no other eligible family members, be sure to cancel it.
Flexible Spending Accounts	Enroll and/or change current election(s)	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	FSAFEDS website	You cannot enroll or make changes after October 1. You must wait until Open Season.
Long Term Care	Update billing arrangements	Anytime	LTC website	You can stop paying premiums for an ex-spouse.
Beneficiary Forms	Complete/update	Anytime	Beneficiary forms	A designation will still be valid even if your relationship or family situation has changed.

** If you have self and family enrollment and still have more than 1 eligible family member, you must contact your plan to let them know the date of the divorce or annulment and have them remove your ex-spouse.

*Coverage for your spouse: Once the divorce or annulment is final, your ex-spouse loses coverage at midnight of the day the divorce or annulment is final, subject to a 31-day extension of coverage.

Your ex-spouse may be eligible to enroll under Spouse Equity, or Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC), or convert to an individual policy with your carrier.

Program	You May	Timeframe	How	Additional Info
Health Insurance	Enroll, add family members, or change plans	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	* Complete SF-2809, including family member eligibility documents, if applicable, and submit to Benefits Office. SF 2809 may be digitally signed with your PIV card and may be e-mailed with supporting documents to your Benefits Contact.	Must provide documentation of the birth. Effective date will be the beginning of the pay period in which the child was born.
Dental and Vision Insurance	Enroll, add family members, or change plans	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	BENEFEDS Portal
Life Insurance	Elect or increase coverage	Within 60 days after QLE	Complete form SF-2817 and submit to Benefit Office.	Must provide documentation of the birth. You can decrease coverage at any time.
Flexible Spending Accounts	Enroll and/or change current election(s)	31 days before to 60 days after QLE	FSAFEDS website	You cannot enroll or make changes after October 1. You must wait until Open Season.
Beneficiary Forms	Complete/update	Anytime	Beneficiary forms	A designation will still be valid even if your relationship or family situation has changed.

*Already have a Self and Family enrollment: you do not have to complete a new election form. Instead, contact your health plan to inform them of the new family member(s).

Contact the Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch (REBB)

Email: AskBenefits@nih.gov

Bethesda Office
Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch
31 Center Drive MSC 2215
Bldg 31, Room 1B37
Bethesda MD 20892-2215

Telephone: (301) 496-2404
Fax: (301) 402-5506

North Carolina Office
Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch
PO Box 12233 (K1-01)
Keystone/Rm 1105
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Telephone: (984) 287-3044
Fax: (919) 541-3659

Contact us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.

Insurance Programs

Newly Eligible and Transferring Federal Employees

Insurance Changes

Marriage-Impact on Benefits

Divorce - Impact on Benefits

Birth of Child - Impact on Benefits

Contact the Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch (REBB)

Insurance Programs

Newly Eligible and Transferring Federal Employees

Insurance Changes

Marriage-Impact on Benefits

Divorce - Impact on Benefits

Birth of Child - Impact on Benefits

Contact the Retirement & Employee Benefits Branch (REBB)

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