More Q&A About TRS-Care Projected Changes
Use TRTA’s Action Alert to contact your legislators. The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) continues to field questions about the possible changes that will come with the passage of HB 3976, the TRS-Care bill. On Monday, May 8, TRTA sent out an Inside Line specifically addressing potential changes for participants age 65 and over. You […]
Questions About Medicare Advantage Answered
Many members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) who are age 65 or over have called and emailed asking about the probable changes that will occur with their medical insurance after the legislative session ends. While there are many questions to address regarding all of the tenets of HB 3976, this Inside Line specifically […]
HB 3976 Passes Out Of Texas House
House Bill 3976 passed out of the Texas House in a 143-0 vote this afternoon (May 3). The bill relates to making dramatic changes to TRS-Care, including providing $633 million towards continuing the state-run retiree health insurance program. Without HB 3976’s passage, TRS-Care would likely have gone into free-fall. The program was predicted to collapse […]
Texas House Scheduled to Vote on HB 3976
ALERT! The Texas House of Representatives has added HB 3976 to its calendar for Wednesday, May 3. Click here to email your Representative As members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) know, the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program currently faces a $1 billion budget shortfall. If nothing is done this session to address it, […]
Texas House Appropriations Committee Discusses Funding Plan For TRS-Care
The Texas House Appropriations Committee met Monday, April 17 to discuss House Bill 3976, the TRS-Care bill filed by Chairman Trent Ashby. HB 3976 proposes to make significant plan design changes to TRS-Care, and increases state and school district funding to the retiree health care program. The bill was voted out of committee yesterday. It […]
Senate Bill 788 Pulled From Consideration
Earlier today Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston) removed Senate Bill 788 from the docket to be considered by the Senate. The bill would have made major reforms to TRS-Care, including creating a high deductible health care plan for pre-65 retired educators and switching all Medicare eligible retirees to Medicare Advantage. Now that the bill has been […]
TRS-Care: What’s Next
Dear TRTA Member, Thank you for your tireless advocacy efforts in protecting your benefits provided by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). Your calls, emails and visits to legislators are truly making a difference. Legislators have heard your voice, and are formulating plans to try to help our cause. However, many legislators are preparing […]
Texas Senate to Vote on SB 788
Use our Action Alert to email your Senator today or call 1-888-674-3788 to talk to your Senator today! The Texas Senate is preparing to vote on SB 788. SB 788 proposes to dramatically alter the state-run retiree health insurance program, TRS-Care. SB 788 is on the state’s intent calendar. Bills on the intent calendar can […]
Texas House Passes Budget Bill, Provides An Additional $500 Million For TRS-Care
The Texas House of Representatives passed its budget this morning. The budget includes the statutory contribution to TRS-Care as well as $500 million coming out of the Economic Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund. The statutory state contribution for TRS-Care is 1 percent of active educator payroll. Representatives debated the bill early […]
MEMBER ACTION ALERT – House Voting Thursday On TRS-Care Funding!
The Texas House of Representatives is set to take the most important vote of the legislative session regarding TRS-Care! Click here to send an email to your representative encouraging them to fund TRS-Care! On Thursday, April 6, 2017, the Texas House is scheduled to debate and vote on Senate Bill 1, the appropriations bill for […]