On Monday, October 18, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8, which authorizes $286 million in funding for TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare, the state-run health care programs for retired and active educators.
What it means. TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), approximately 30% of members enrolled in August 2021 have had either a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 since March 2020. Since 2020, TRS-Care has paid out $83 million in COVID-19-related claims.
What happens now. The state of Texas will bolster these vital health care programs with additional funding to prevent premium increases for members.
Supplemental Payments to Be Issued in January
The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) has received queries about the supplemental payment for TRS annuitants that passed during the second called special session in September. As a reminder, the supplemental payments will be issued in January 2022. The state allocated $731 million towards supplemental payments.
TRTA worked with the Texas Legislature to ensure that retired educators would receive relief after a tumultuous year.
Nonetheless, TRTA remains committed to winning a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retirees in the future and we already working on establishing legislative priorities for the 88th Legislative Session that begins in 2023! Thank you to all members and elected officials who worked to make this supplemental payment a reality.
TRTA members, please renew your membership dues. Help us keep TRTA strong! TRTA focuses solely on your TRS retirement security. The $35 annual membership fee you invest in TRTA is money well spent. It keeps this organization strong, active, vocal, and visible!
Únase a nosotros hoy! If you’re already a member, be sure to renew your dues.
