AUSTIN — If Texas state officials have anything to say about it, health care won't get more expensive for thousands of retired teachers and school workers.
According to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas recommended to its board not to raise insurance premiums for people under the age of 65, citing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's pledge that lawmakers would try to find more funding next legislative session.
The Teacher Retirement System board is expected to decide whether or not to increase premiums by $600 a year for retirees under the age of 65 Friday, but the Statesman reports the board will most likely agree with the recommendation not to increase premiums.
At 11 a.m. Thursday, teachers who disagreed with the proposed plan to raise premiums held a news conference, urging the board to reconsider and roll back deductible and premium increases from 2017. After last year's price hike - about 36,000 retired teachers and dependents left the TRS healthcare system.
According to the KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman, most of those teachers were 65 years or older and chose to find a cheaper Medicare plan somewhere else.
System officials told the Statesman they're in a better position compared to 2017 because they have acquired better savings from their contract providers.
However, if the legislature does not find more money for the Texas Retirement System next session, the Statesman said it's likely the board would consider increasing premiums again.