Gov. Abbott Directs TRS To Lower Medicare Advantage Costs

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday directed the Teacher Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees to pursue premium reductions for retired educators enrolled in TRS-Care.

Abbott instructed the board to implement the maximum feasible reductions to Medicare Advantage insurance premiums while maintaining the long-term financial stability of the TRS-Care fund.

"Texas has long supported the retired public educators who dedicated their careers to teaching the next generation of Texans," said Governor Abbott. "Over the past several years, the state has made historic investments to strengthen retirement security and provide meaningful financial relief to teachers. The state’s ongoing support for retired educators has created another opportunity to return savings directly to our retired teachers.”

The directive follows recent state investments aimed at strengthening retirement benefits for educators. In 2023, Abbott signed legislation providing a $5 billion investment that funded stipends and cost-of-living adjustments, increasing monthly annuities for eligible retirees.

In 2024, the state approved additional funding for public education, including more than $4 billion for teacher and staff pay raises.