Health Insurance

Texas offers health insurance coverage to both active (TRS-ActiveCare) and retired (TRS-Care) school employees.

For active employees, the state contributes $75/month toward premiums, and districts must contribute at least $150 (many contribute more). Employees pick up the remaining portion of the premium. Some larger districts offer local health insurance for active employees, rather than the state-administered ActiveCare, but the funding structure remains the same.

Eligible retirees have access to TRS-Care. Coverage and costs differ depending on whether the retiree is eligible for Medicare.

Learn more about the options available to you in the links below.

Health insurance news and articles

The TRS Board is moving toward varying ActiveCare premium rates for different areas of the state. Read more from the July 2021 Board meeting.

ActiveCare rates for 2021-22 jumped an average of 6.2%. Click here for details on ActiveCare and HMO plans and premiums.

Some districts have exploited a loophole in law to offer local health insurance in addition to ActiveCare. Read about why this is causing major problems for ActiveCare.

The TRS Board made notable changes to ActiveCare options for the 2020-21 and subsequent plan years. Learn more about the new plans.

Beginning with the 2020-21 plan year, ActiveCare and TRS-Care Standard will be administered by BCBS, and TRS-Care Medicare Advantage by United Health Care. Click here for more about the changes in plan administrators

The TRS Board considered premiums for the retiree insurance plan. Read about why TRS-Care premiums will not increase for 2019.

A quirk in the law places funding for ActiveCare in the TEA budget, rather than TRS's. TCTA continues to ask TEA to include increased ActiveCare funding in its budget request.