TRS-Care adding vision, dental benefits for retirees in 2025

Several changes are coming to TRS-Care in 2025.

During its July meeting, the TRS Board of Trustees set rates and benefits for the newly approved TRS-Care Vision and TRS-Care Dental plans. It also set premiums for TRS-Care Standard (health plan for non-Medicare eligible participants), lowered premiums for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage and announced an opportunity for open enrollment in Medicare Advantage.

Vision and Dental coverage begins in January

Starting Oct. 1, retirees eligible for TRS-Care medical plans can enroll in plans for vision and/or dental care through a new partnership with MetLife. Enrollment ends Dec. 7 and coverage begins in January 2025. Enroll by calling 888-237-6762.

MetLife's dental network includes 130,000 providers and the benefit structure is the same for in-network and out-of-network providers. The monthly dental premiums range from $41.62 for retirees to $129.92 for retirees plus families.

MetLife's vision network includes 167,000 providers and retailers, including LensCrafters, Walmart Vision Centers and Target Optical. Monthly premiums range from $6.89 for retirees to $24.08 for a retiree plus family. TRS-Care Vision plans have different benefits, deductibles and co-pays for in-network and out-of-network providers.

TRS-Care Standard premiums (non-Medicare eligible)

TRS-Care Standard will not experience a premium change and will continue to offer competitive pricing at 20% to 30% of the cost of individual market plans.

IRS guidelines require increases to deductibles in 2025 so that pre-Medicare participants can continue to contribute to and use a health savings account. Deductibles will increase by $50 in-network and $100 out-of-network for individuals, and $100 in-network and $200 out-of-network for retirees and families.

TRS-Care Medicare Advantage changes

Retirees enrolled in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage will have lower premiums after trustees approved a 45% reduction in costs for plan year 2025, which is more in line with the market. Individual retirees will save $60 per month on premiums, while retirees with family coverage save $407.

To help eligible retirees take advantage of the lower premiums, TRS will hold open enrollment for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage between Oct. 1, 2024, and March 31, 2026 (18 months). Medicare-eligible retirees or surviving spouses aged 65 or older, may enroll if:

• You were eligible for TRS-Care when you retired, even if you didn't enroll.
• You were previously enrolled in TRS-Care and terminated coverage.
• You're a surviving spouse and/or dependent of a deceased TRS-Care-eligible retiree.

Learn more about all of the TRS-Care changes for 2025 here.

Register for TRS-Care webinars

TRS and MetLife staff will answer questions from attendees during three webinars in October to review the TRS-Care Dental and TRS-Care Vision plans, benefits and costs before enrollment begins.

Free one-hour webinars are planned at 11 a.m. Oct. 4, Oct. 15 and Oct. 17 for TRS-Care retirees and eligible dependents interested in adding dental and vision coverage in 2025.

TRS plans free one-hour webinars at 10 a.m. Aug. 30, Sept. 8 and Oct. 3 to explain 2025 medical and prescription drug benefits for retirees enrolled in or those about to be eligible for TRS-Care Medicare.

Free one-hour webinars will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 9 and Oct. 11 to explain TRS-Care Standard medical and prescription drug benefits in 2025.

In-person health fairs also are planned across the state in August, September and October to explain options.

Click here to learn more and register.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.