This afternoon Katrina Daniel will be presenting an update on administration and performance of TRS-ActiveCare, a government health plan for Texas school districts. The Board Packet will be posted here later today.
Daniel’s presentation will be of interest to those districts remaining in TRS ActiveCare but who may be considering leaving the program in 2024.
Will renewal rates be disclosed? Will updated financials be discussed? Will benefit changes be recommended? Will Daniel’s provide information on the number of districts exiting the program September 2023? Will the financially ailing TRS ActiveCare government health plan be bailed out once again by the state legislature in the guise of Chinese (Wuhan) Flu relief monies? Is the upcoming September renewal dependent upon that?
Under Senate Bill 1444, districts exiting the TRS ActiveCare government health plan must give written notification to TRS officials by no later than the last day of December in the year prior to exiting. In other words, districts must decide to exit in December for a September effective date, nine months later.
UPDATE:
We will not learn much based on the information here – Benefits Committee Book – April 27, 2023 (texas.gov). One thing that seems certain is 2023-2024 rates and benefits will not be released until June. This has not been the case in the past, with rates and benefits published in April or May of each year.
There is a reason for the delay and I suspect it’s a wait-and-see renewal strategy in hopes the Texas legislature comes to their aid with bushels of cash as they have done before over the past two years in last minute attempts to keep the program solvent.
I suspect, after looking at the skimpy financials shown in the Benefits Committee Book, rates will need to be increased and/or benefits reduced in order to maintain solvency. A cash infusion by the state will help offset that, and that’s what TRS ActiveCare trustees are hoping for – My opinion only.
Bill Rusteberg
