by: Kevin Baskar Feb 17, 2026 – Article Referred By Brent Evans
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock ISD (RRISD) is opening a new employee health center for the district’s staff and family members amid rising health care costs.
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock ISD (RRISD) is opening a new employee health center for the district’s staff and family members amid rising health care costs.
The district held a ribbon cutting Tuesday for the new 4YOU Health Center, located at 1551 E Old Settlers Blvd. The clinic will partner with Marathon Health and provide primary care services to RRISD employees, their spouses and dependent children ages two and older who are enrolled in a district medical plan.
RRISD said its total health insurance spending has risen more than 15% since 2021, driven by inflation and an increase in high‑cost claims. Since the district pays these claims directly, RRISD Chief Human Resources Officer Eddie Curran said the new clinic is designed to reduce expenses by offering free or low‑cost preventive care, same‑day appointments and chronic condition management.
“With health insurance costs becoming what they are in the nation, it’s gotten to the point now where in the teacher salary, it gets more and more difficult to afford [traditional health plan],” Curran said. “A big part of our push and our, our initiative behind this clinic was to make sure we can give employees access to more affordable health care and the things that they need.”
When visiting the 4YOU Health Center, the only cost for a patient would be a $25 fee for non‑preventive visits under RRISD’s high‑deductible plan. Every other type of visit is free.
“Taking that in-house and really providing this as a tier one solution for employees really means that they have access on a more proactive basis,” Curran said.
RRISD Superintendent Dr. Hafedh Azaiez emphasized the importance of supporting teachers, noting that the clinic is designed around educator schedules. The center allows teachers to visit before school, after school, or during planning periods without needing to find a substitute.
“Our teachers and staff—general support staff—they really are the backbone of our district,” Azaiez said. “We want to make sure that we are here for them because if they are healthy, if they’re happy, if they are wanted to be, here in the district, then obviously they want to do a better job with our students.”
RRISD told KXAN that the district forecasted a $12,000,000 budget deficit for health insurance by 2029 without the clinic. With the clinic, the estimate that deficit would reduce by $7,000,000 considering 42% employees use the clinic once in the year.
“We have to make all—every last cent work—in terms of total compensation for our employees and staff by providing more affordable high quality health care,” Curran said. “That’s a huge piece of a total compensation approach in terms of how we value teachers and staff.”
“Our schools are the heartbeats of our neighborhood, ” said Alicia Markum, the president of the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees. “Public education is something that everyone should care about.”
The 4YOU Health Center will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 24/7 virtual urgent‑care options. It officially opens to patients on Wednesday.
SOURCE: KXAN
