Rates & Benefits- 8% rate increase – 7% benefit reduction in High Deductible Plan only
Health Care Legislation: SB 1444 Effective September 1, 2021: DOI Loophole Closed – Last year school districts currently offering competing coverage may continue to offer the plan.
December 31: Annual Opt-Out Deadline – Districts wanting to exit ActiveCare and districts currently not in ActiveCare wishing to join must provide notice. Allows districts to opt out of ActiveCare but districts then must remain out for five years. Allows districts to elect to participate in ActiveCare but districts then must remain in the program for five years.
Districts currently in ActiveCare will not need to do anything if they wish to stay in the program.
https://www.trs.texas.gov/TRS%20Documents/board-meeting-book-june-2021.pdf
Summary: Trended rate increase. Benefit reduction on High Deductible Plan will cause migration to the Primary Care Plan offerings. Alternative competing commercial health plans alongside TRS ActiveCare outlawed effective September 1, 2022. Districts have the option of leaving TRS ActiveCare but must provide 9 month advance notice of termination and can’t rejoin for five years. TRS ActiveCare member districts continuing membership must remain members for five years. HB 1334 which would have mandated TRS ActiveCare to provide districts with their claim experience did not pass, therefore districts wishing to consider commercial health plan options are severely limited in their ability to do so.
