Health Care Crisis Results in TRS-Care Benefit Reductions; New Medicare Advantage Provider Approved
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees adopted numerous plan design changes to the TRS-Care program. These changes include: increased deductibles. increased out-of-pocket maximum costs. new convenience fees for local pharmacy prescription drug fills. new rules on Medicare D. The plan changes are projected to cost TRS-Care participants more than $43 million. […]
TRS Board of Trustees Meets, Pressure on TRS-Care Fund Escalates
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees met today, May 13, in Austin to discuss various topics, including potential premium and plan design alternatives for TRS-Care. The retiree health benefits program includes the three standard plans (Tiers 1, 2 and 3), as well as the fully-insured Medicare Advantage Plans and the Medicare […]
House Speaker Straus Emphasizes Importance of Retiree Health Care for State Budget
Earlier this week, Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus released a letter to the members of the House Appropriations Committee regarding his concerns for the state budget and the many factors that must be considered during the 85th Legislative Session that begins in January 2017. One of those concerns is the TRS-Care retiree health […]
TRS-Care Joint Committee Meets as TRTA Hosts Rally at Capitol
“I’m just chock-full of good news today,” joked Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Executive Director Brian Guthrie after eliciting several prolonged sighs from members of the TRS-Care Joint Committee. The TRS-Care Joint Committee is a sub-committee of the Texas Legislature charged with studying the TRS-Care health insurance program. The committee is comprised of three Senators and […]
TRS-Care Joint Committee Meeting to Be Held March 30, TRTA Members Encouraged to Attend
The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is focused on the upcoming TRS-Care Joint Committee Meeting. As we mentioned in a recent Inside Line, the first meeting of the joint committee is planned for 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 in Room E1.028 (Hearing Room) of the Texas Capitol. TRTA members are encouraged to attend! […]
TRS Board of Trustees Discusses Goals for TRS-Care in 2016, Legislative Interim Charges
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees continued its meeting in Richardson today, focusing much of their conversation and reporting on the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. TRS Chief Health Care Officer Katrina Daniel made a presentation about internal efforts to provide efficient administration of the TRS-Care plan, as well as financial […]
TRS Board Meets, TRS-Care Joint Committee Meeting Date Announced
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees met this week in Richardson, Texas at the Education Region 10 Service Center to discuss various issues including the status of the pension fund and the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. Prior to beginning a discussion about these vital issues, TRS Executive Director Brian Guthrie […]
Interim Charges Released for 84th Texas Legislature
This month, interim charges were released for the 84th Texas Legislature by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus. As the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) mentioned in an Inside Line article last week, Texas public education retirees are on the minds of our state legislators right now, and much will be accomplished […]
TRS Hosts Town Hall Meeting, Discusses Future of TRS-Care
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) held a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, October 22 to discuss the health care programs administered by the agency, including the TRS-Care retiree insurance program. This meeting was just the first step in finding solutions to the program’s funding instability. Though we won one battle in securing additional […]
Additional Details: TRS Town Hall Meeting Online Participation
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Town Hall Meeting that is occurring tomorrow (Thursday, October 22, 2015) is vital to the discussion about the future of the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) provided a few details about the meeting webcast yesterday for those of you who wish to […]