Monday, February 5, 2018

Shame on You, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and Texas Legislature

             Every day—and I do mean every day—since January 1, I have felt a heaviness in the pit of my stomach.  Every day, I know I am going to hear another story about what has befallen my fellow retired Texas public school employees courtesy of Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature. 
            As many of you may have heard, during the 2017 Legislative Session, these elected officials decided to turn our healthcare world upside down, despite the fact that we retired under the promise of affordable healthcare, a promise made to us years ago when we began teaching and again when we completed all of the paperwork for retirement.  Instead, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature voted to appropriate DOUBLE the amount of money for retirees in the state’s other retirement system, ERS, that they did for our retirement system, TRS, despite the fact that they have HALF the number of participants. ERS handles pensions and healthcare for all other state employees.  It is no coincidence that retired legislators are members of ERS when they retire at age 50 with a mere 12 years in office or at age 60 with a mere eight years.  Meanwhile, TRS, also controlled by the Texas Legislature, handles pensions and healthcare for me and all of my fellow retired public school employees—teachers, custodians, bus drivers, administrators, cafeteria workers, counselors, librarians, maintenance workers, secretaries, diagnosticians, and classroom aides (and anyone else who worked in our public school system). 
            Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and the Texas Legislature also increased our deductible from $400 to $1500.  Now, not one penny of the medical costs or prescriptions (except a list of standard, generic drugs) for TRS retirees under 65 is paid until we pay the ENTIRE $1500 out of pocket.  Think no co-pay.  For retired public school employees who include their spouse on their insurance, their deductible is $3000.  For them, the plan does not pay a single penny until they reach the entire $3000, not $1500 for each of them.
            Meanwhile, in ERS Land, all other state employees (and retired legislators) not only have 100 percent of their premium paid for by the state, but they also have no deductible.  No, as in zero.  That means while we are paying 100 percent of our healthcare costs and prescription costs out of pocket until we reach $1500 (then, we have an 80/20 split), they have no deductible to meet.  No, as in zero.
            One of the stories I heard last week was about Chuck and Leslie.  Leslie retired from Northside ISD in San Antonio in 2014.  January 1, their premium increased from $140 to $689.  This $689 is 23.5 percent of Nancy’s gross monthly annuity.  This incredible financial burden has resulted in the couple considering dropping their health insurance.  “But we don’t want to burden other taxpayers with OUR hospital bills if we ever do get sick,” Chuck told me.  This is the choice they are facing after Leslie spent years working in our public schools.
            I also read the story of Donna, who lives in Hewitt (near Waco).  She taught in Texas public schools for 27 years, about half of those in special education and seven as a diagnostician.  She has a master’s degree.  Her monthly prescription drug costs went from $100 to $1200.  Although she has found some discount cards she is now using, the hit it has taken is painful and frightening. 
            One of my close friends in the Rio Grande Valley is a retired teacher and a single mom who receives no child support for her son, who is a freshman in college.  She told me last week she has decided she is not going to the doctor any more, despite the fact that she battles high blood pressure.  “The deductible is just too high,” she told me.
            I’m sick.  I’m sad.  I’m angry.  I’m still in disbelief.  How did this happen?  Why did this happen?  I honestly believe someone is going to die because of the decisions made by Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and several members of the Texas Legislature.
            I think what sickens and frightens me most is that the endless stories I have heard are all from teachers and administrators.  If so many of them are suffering with these changes, what are those who earned far less than us while working—which means far less than us in retirement—doing?
            SHAME ON YOU, Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and every Texas legislator who voted to cripple all of us who devoted our careers and our lives to the children of this state.  I hope all of us, our former students, and all who love us will JOIN THE MOVEMENT to BLOCK VOTE!


Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill.
Chris can be reached at
 cardis1022@aol.com.  Her columns will also be appearing regularly in the Rio Grande Guardian.  And watch for upcoming LIVE Facebook conversations on "All Things Education" on the Guardian's FB page.  (Photo by Sarina Manahan)



JOIN OUR MOVEMENT



Go to texansforpubliceducation.com 
On the home page, scroll down to "Our Ratings" to read the rationale behind the ratings for each incumbent and his/her opponent(s).
(I) Incumbents
Blue-Opponents
UNFRIENDLY
FRIENDLY
NEUTRAL

TEXAS GOVERNOR



TEXAS LT. GOVERNOR



TEXAS HOUSE
Sheet 1:  DISTRICTS  3,18, 56, 57, 103, 104, 105, 116,123, 131, 145
Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, Lufkin, Magnolia, San Antonio, Shepherd,  Waco 

Sheet 2:  DISTRICTS  24, 25, 40, 58, 73, 76, 83, 112, 113, 128, 138 
Angleton, Cleburne, Deerpark, Edinburg, El Paso, Fredericksburg, Friendswood, Houston, 
Lubbock, Richardson, Sunnyvale   


Sheet 3:  DISTRICTS 8, 11,  54, 82, 95, 98, 117, 147 
Corsicana, Fort Worth, Houston,  Killeen, Midland, Nacodoches, San Antonio, Southlake


Sheet 4:  DISTRICTS  7, 17, 22, 46, 72, 111, 134, 135, 136, 142 
Austin, Beaumont, Cedar Park, Dallas, Houston, Lockhart, Longview, West University Place   


Sheet 5:  DISTRICTS 2, 23, 69, 84, 99, 106, 109, 120, 148  
Canton,  DeSoto, Fort Worth, Frisco, Galveston,  Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio,
Wichita Falls


Sheet 6:  DISTRICTS 4, 5, 31,34, 41, 52, 75, 97, 119, 143
Clint, Fort Worth, Houston, Mission, Mt. Pleasant, Rio Grande City,  Robstown, 
Round Rock, San Antonio, Terrell   


Sheet 7:  DISTRICTS  12, 32, 33, 45, 48, 49, 50, 100, 127, 139
Austin, College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Dripping Spring, Houston, Rockwall  


Sheet 8:  DISTRICTS 15, 44, 61, 71, 80,  81, 88,  91, 102
Abilene, Batesville, Canadian, Dallas, Fort Worth, Odessa, Seguin, The Woodlands, Weatherford  


Sheet 9:  DISTRICTS 16, 26, 35, 38, 39, 43, 60, 67, 89, 108, 122  
Brownsville, Conroe, Dallas, Granbury, Kingsville, Mission, Parker, Plano, San Antonio, 
Sugar Land, Weslaco   


Sheet 10:  DISTRICTS 30, 36, 37, 53,74,77, 78, 107, 124, 130, 133 
Brownsville, Cypress, Dallas, Eagle Pass, El Paso,  Houston, Junction, Palmview,   
San Antonio,Victoria


Sheet 11:  DISTRICTS 9, 14, 21, 62, 63, 79, 87, 129, 144 
Amarillo, Beaumont, College Station, El Paso, Flower Mound, Houston, Marshall, Sherman  


Sheet 12:  DISTRICTS 6,  27, 42, 51, 70, 90, 110, 115, 125, 126   
Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Irving, Laredo, McKinney, Missouri City,  
San Antonio, Tyler


Sheet 13:  DISTRICTS  13, 55, 59, 65, 66, 68, 85, 86, 132
Amarillo,  Caldwell, Carrolton, Gatesville, Katy, Muenster, Plano, Temple, Wharton


Sheet 14:  DISTRICTS 29, 64, 92, 94, 121, 141, 146, 150
Arlington, Bedford, Denton, Houston, Pearland, San Antonio, Spring


Sheet 15:  DISTRICTS 1, 10,19, 20, 47, 101, 114, 118, 140, 149
Austin, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Hillister, Houston, Marble Falls, New Boston, San Antonio,  Waxahachie


Sheet 16:  DISTRICTS 137, 96, 28
Arlington, Houston, Richmond


TEXAS SENATE

Sheet 1:  DISTRICTS 7, 22, 24, 10, 25, 4, 30, 6, 2, 9, 20
Houston, Granbury, Lakeway, Colleyville, New Braunfels, Conroe, Wichita Falls, Houston, Edgewood, North Richland Hills, McAllen


Sheet 2:  DISTRICTS 16, 17, 1, 18, 27, 26, 13, 12, 3, 28, 29, 5
Dallas, Houston, Mineola, Brenham, Brownsville, San Antonio, 
Flower Mound, Jacksonville, Lubbock, El Paso, Georgetown


Sheet 3:  DISTRICTS 31, 11, 8, 19, 14, 23, 15, 21
Amarillo, Friendswood, Plano, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo







60 comments:

  1. I'm the husband of a retired Texas teacher with 34 years of service. My mother was also a public school teacher in Texas. And, my daughter and son-in-law currently teach in Texas public schools. So, needless to say, I'm a fan of Texas public education and its employees.

    I try to stay current on the news, but I've been so consumed by the hateful nonsense taking place at the national level, I haven't paid as much attention to state and local news as I should have. So, I knew SOME of this, but not all of it. I knew the state legislature and our so-called leaders had screwed over teachers. I didn't know they had so egregiously discriminated in favor of all other state employees. But now that I hear about it, I'm not at all surprised, because whatever benefits ERS participants benefits legislators, i.e. the ones who VOTE ON these benefits.

    There ought to be a law against such self-serving legislation, but of course there never will be. Few legislators would ever vote against their own self-interest. It's one of the built-in weaknesses of representative democracy. But here in Texas, our governor, lt. governor, and legislature have raised this weakness to an art form. Indeed, some of them even brag about it, calling it "conservative." I can think of another "c" word that is a better description (HINT: starts with "cr" and ends with "iminal").

    That's why we desperately need to clean house. There's no guarantee Democrats will be much better, but based on past performance, they have shown more fairness and have been less self-serving than their GOP counterparts. I'm almost 65 and loving retirement (from The United Methodist Church and higher education), but I would run for state office myself if I thought I had a chance of winning. I don't think I do, so I'm doing my part through my words and what I can afford to contribute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we do need to clean house for this reason as well as for the immature behavior going on as parties poke at each other and totally miss the mark for working toward making legislation that is actually useful. Our educators would never accept this kind of behavior from their classes.

      Delete
    2. Keith and Anonymous--One of the things I love about the extensive research and ratings Texans for Public Education completed is that BLOCK VOTING is non-partisan. There are both Democrats AND Republicans who have proven to be FRIENDLY toward teachers and toward public education, in general. This is why studying their ratings and informing relatives, coworkers, former students, and friends across the state is critical as primaries approach!

      Delete
    3. This is true, Chris. There are supporters of public education in both parties, but they don't constitute a majority. My specific reference to the GOP was aimed primarily at the leadership, especially the governor and lt. governor. Public education in Texas has suffered greatly during this current stretch of GOP domination of state-level elected offices and bodies. And personally, I don't think it will change for the better until that domination is broken.

      Delete
    4. Great Article, and so true. However nothing will change without organizing and showing a united front. I hate to use the "union" word, but some organized representation in Austin is sorely needed.

      In our district the pay raises for the last 5 plus years have not covered the increased insurance cost. Our teachers are bringing home less than they did seven years ago. Today a teacher in our district with a family of 3 has about 30% of their pay go towards health insurance. CRAZY!

      It has been suggested to our State Rep., all Teachers become state employees with the same insurance and retirement benefits as all other state employees. Reduce the amount going to local school districts by the current salary cost. Create a statewide compensation plan for teacher so regardless of where you decide to live and teach, you make the same. This would allow the smaller rural district to have a level playing field against larger ISD's in attracting great teachers.

      School funding doesn't work to bad for LARGE districts, where the economies of scale work in their favor, but for rural, smaller schools its a death sentence. Just look at the campuses that look like small colleges in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin. Then make a trip to see a campus like Medina ISD in Medina TX. They don't even have an air-conditioned gym.

      Yes changes are needed, but until teachers organize and have "lobbyist" representing their needs in Austin it will never happen. Teachers need an all out Marketing Blitz before the next session.

      TEA is not there to represent or support teachers, so if you're serious about change, ORGANIZE!!!

      Delete
    5. texansforpubliceducation.com does not represent Teachers best interest. Is their work worthy? Yes. But they have a broad scope and teachers are only a part of that scope. Texas Teachers Need Their Own Representation in Austin. Separate from the huge School Funding issues.

      If texansforpubliceducation.com represented Teachers only, and affectively, teacher pay and benefits would have been addressed years ago. But their scope is too Broad. Teachers need an organization that is focused on Texas Teachers AND Texas Teachers only!!!

      Delete
    6. Keith---I agree!
      Anonymous #1: I agree 100% that we have to be UNITED if we want to see any changes! We also have to bombard their offices with emails, phone calls, and tweets! BOMBARD! I wish one of the teacher organizations would hire a lobbyist who works solely with RETIRED educators! Until we UNITE, we can expect for this same insanity to continue.
      Anonymous #2: I hear what you're "saying" about T4PE as far as how broad their scope is! To me, TRTA and their local chapters fight the hardest for us, BY FAR! During the session, they were the ones putting out the CALLS TO ACTION, sending out notices to us to bombard the legislators' offices with calls, etc. I couldn't figure out where TRS was during all of this....until I learned that all TRS employees are under ERS! IMAGINE!

      Delete
    7. Buy a Humana Pharmacy plan, $20.40 a month ($244.80 annually) and the total out of pocket co-pay is only 405 (total annual is only 649). Its not up to the government to pay for our medical care. Figure out how to do it on your own. Or better yet, go after the medical and pharmaceutical companies for charging so much!! They have the deep pockets, thanks to us! Good Luck

      Delete
  2. You can’t vote out ALL Republicans, some stood y’all for Public Education, Huberty & Straus just to name a few, look up Texans for Public Education! Every person running for an office is rated Friendly, Neutral, or Unfriendly based on their ACTIONS not words in regards to public education!

    Also “fun fact” all TRS employees get ERS Insurance! The yahoos making choices for a TRS benefits don’t even participate in the system they run!

    People need to FLOOD the Republican Primaries to vote AGAINST Dan Patrick! People need to line up and vote Scott Milder! Patrick must be stopped in the Primaries

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am not a Teacher, but I gave 29 years to the children of Aldine I.S.D. The pay was not great but I loved the children. I am very disappointed with both Abbott and Patrick. What is worse than the retirees to be thrown away is that we're going to loss many teachers and support works because of the choices for TRS that were made by our legislators.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Where is a list of the names of those who actually voted "for" this change in the TRS healthcare insurance that took effect past month? The attachments above are totally unreadable. Having that information and the name of the legislative bill that impacted this change would be helpful.

    The $3,000.00 deductible I have to meet upfront for my pain medication has caused me to discontinue its use and live with the pain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi David! This is why I direct everyone to the Texans for Public Education website. I published a snapshot, but they have it all spelled out on their website (texansforpubliceducation.com). Scroll down on their homepage to OUR RATINGS and click. You will see the rationale for the ratings.

      Delete
  6. Indeed. Please give us the piece of legislation which did this. My rep is on the red list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please see my message to David above! Thank you!

      Delete
  7. We were notified of our TRS insurance increase. We are both retired teachers in Texas. My wife carries the insurance and is not on Medicare. I am on Medicare and carried the Medicare Advantage on her plan. An increased premium of $600 and big increases in deductibles caused her to contact TRS and Aetna. Neither was very cordial or helpful. They did finally answer the question of why. They said her premium was not really changing, just some guidelines and deductibles. However, my premium was going from $90 to $689 a month because she was not on Medicare too. Needless to say I have bailed out of TRS health insurance and gotten better coverage at my same past rate. If this is the best our legislature can do we are in trouble. Its already getting harder and harder to find good teachers. Young people can earn more and get better benefits by entering other professions. My son just got a job making a lot more on a maintenance crew with best benefits of insurance and retirement. Texas education has some great people in it, but we are hurting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AMEN! Until we BAND TOGETHER and BLOCK VOTE, we will continue to see this kind of treatment! This should not be done at all, but especially not AFTER we retired under the promise of affordable healthcare.
      What's good for the educator is good for the legislator!

      Delete
  8. I was in the Texas schools as a teacher and then as a principal for over 20 years. I have come to believe that Texas legislators don't like their teachers very much. The salaries are toward the bottom of the 50 states. They messed with the teachers' social security, for example, so I can't get my husbands' if he passes before I do. They took money from TRS, and never paid it back. I retired from teaching in 2002. There has been no cost of living increase in all that time. There was one "extra paycheck" but only for some retirees. Some who had been retired longer, didn't get that check! Ridiculous! Now this terrible issue with the health insurance. They are leaving teachers no choice--we are probably going to have to create Unions and go on strike. I've about decided that's the ONLY way they will treat us with any respect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am truly convinced that if we BAND TOGETHER and BLOCK VOTE, we will see change!!!

      Delete
    2. The Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision that affect teachers' Social Security are federal laws, not state laws.

      Delete
    3. Absolutely! GPO and WEP are federal! Incredible that teachers are getting slammed at both the state and federal levels!!! (And, many teachers are starting to get slammed at the local level, too, with the extreme increase in health insurance costs!)
      Here is more information on GPO and WEP: https://ssfairness.com/gpo-wep-faq/

      Delete
  9. I'm a retired Registered Nurse. My retirement from Social Security for the same number of years and the same salary as a teach would be almost twice as much TRS. I did get COLA this year but my Medicare premium went up and I netted $3 per month. Why or why didn't I become a teacher instead of a nurse. As a nurse I was involved in exposure to high risk patients, communicable diseases, needle sticks, all kinds of human discharge, night shifts, 12 month work year, no Spring Break, only Christmas day off (if I didn't have to work that day) and guess what? I pay for my own insurance and I'm not in any pool. We all make choices.....I loved nursing and saved a few lives along the way. No regrets but from my perspective teachers have it pretty good. If it's that bad, find another job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know nothing about what teachers do if you think they "have it pretty good." I'm glad you love nursing. Nurses are great. I don't know where we'd be without them. I say the same thing about public school teachers. And good for you for saving a few lives. That's your job! TEACHERS SAVE LIVES TOO! They just don't usually get to see the results.

      Next time you want to trash a profession whose members give of themselves just as much as nurses do, don't be a coward and hide behind "Anonymous." If you have something to say, have the courage and decency to claim your comments with your name! Otherwise, keep your thoughts to yourself.

      Delete
    2. Find another job? This is about TRS. Retirement. They've already given their time. They simply want what was promised when they signed up, not 'bait and switch'. You knew what you were getting into for your 'job' so good, you received it. Furthermore, teaching is not a mere job!

      Delete
    3. Hey, Anonymous, I realize what you do as a nurse-do you realize that some teachers have the same concerns? As an educator for 28 years before I retired I worked as a teacher of students with disabilities and as a school administrator. Do you realize some of us practically do nursing on our jobs? Some students I worked with had to have their feeding tubes and diapers changed every day. You also have the risk of getting bitten, hit, or other types of physical assaults by students. People outside our profession have no idea what different kinds of teachers actually do. We work with students with severe emotional disabilities, severe cognitive impairments, children with autism to just name a few. I loved my profession, but there is very little retirement benefits or healthcare anymore for Texas teachers. You pretty much pay most of your pension toward healthcare. It is WRONG that other state employees have much better retirement benefits.

      Delete
    4. Hello Anonymous RN--Your first sentence indicates your social security would be twice as much as we receive on TRS?
      You are right. We all choose our careers and the benefits that go with them. Were you promised affordable healthcare as a nurse? This is the issue. We were. We retired with that promise and do not understand why our insurance is so dramatically different than the legislators and the other state employees. That is the issue. Thank you.

      Delete
    5. I think it is important for us to have a respectful and professional discussion about this. I do have to agree about "anonymous," although I have seen people on some social media sites attacked for their opinions.
      What a perfect way to describe what has happened to us--BAIT AND SWITCH! That is EXACTLY what the Texas Legislature has done to us!
      Again---the inequity between ERS and TRS is, indeed, the foundation of this issue!

      Delete
    6. In this particular thread, so many folks are choosing to post anonymously, it's almost impossible to know to whom one is responding. Whether you're being critical, supportive, or something in between, please consider using your real name when you post so we will have some sense of who is who.

      Delete

    7. Dear Anonymous.
      My entire family is in medicine. Nurses salaries have increased much more than teachers have.
      work conditions have improved. I put a lot of this down to more men going into the field of nursing. I have tremendous regard for nurses and the work they do; however, nurses have options for overtime and special shifts. Teachers are expected to work more and more hours with no increase in pay. Now principals are telling teachers how they must spend their summers. Not only are teachers not paid for this work, they are often expected to pay for it themselves. The fact is teachers were PROMISED fair treatment and this state has abandoned it's students AND it's teachers. It is shameful. It just shows tewhat the state of Texas has become under the leadership of the tea party Republicans. It was one of the darkest days of Texas history. There is plenty of money to make sure teachers are given what they were promised. Personally, I think it is the hatred
      with which Republicans regard public education. From what I've observed, they have done everything possible to undermine public education in order to privatize it. I can name three of best teachers I know who have left public teaching to teach in private schools. They say they are MUCH better compensated for their work.






      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. Texas does not "allow" teachers to unionize. Again, we have ALLOWED all of this. Until we BAND TOGETHER, SPEAK UP, and BLOCK VOTE, we cannot hope for anything more.

      Delete
  11. I too am battling the inadequate cost of insurance! I have an ovarian cyst that is rather large and my insurance doesn't cover much. Why am I even paying for a unworthy coverage if I am paying most of my medical test, visits and med.'s out of pocket, leaving me financially strapped? I am cancelling it. Can't afford to be ill, but I'll just get to that bridge when it happens! Retired teacher and distraught to be a part of the USA, not just Texas, incomprensible insurance coverage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you want to change this, BAND TOGETHER, SPEAK UP, and BLOCK VOTE--and get your family, friends, former students, and anyone else who will listen to do the same!

      Delete
  12. Who blocked the TEACHER SALARY INCREASE bill during the special session?

    Not Abbott or Patrick. Gee, who could that have been?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Abbott and Patrick proposed giving teachers up to a $1000 pay raise, but provided no money for it. School districts would have to raise property taxes again or fire other teachers to pay for the mandatory increase. Thankfully the Texas Senate saw through the Republican shenanigans and found other money for bonuses but didn't force schools to decide who to fire so others got a pay raise.
      Texans have gotten distracted by other issues and have forgotten that Republicans never have the interests of teachers, public employees, or those who make under $150,000 a year in mind as they benefit their big donors.

      Delete
    2. Actually, the top two wanted the DISTRICTS to pay for the proposed $1000 increase, not the state.

      Delete
  13. Our premium increased from $169 to $999.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my gosh! How in the world will you afford that?

      Delete
  14. You obviously don't care about teachers! I bet that your insurance didn't go up drastically. It is not fair to raise our insurance premiums. We were promised to have affordable healthcare! We worked and educated you and many others so that you could learn, be successful and have a career. Shame on you for not putting the needs of teachers healthcare costs as the most important item on the agenda. I taught for 27 years, expecting to have good healthcare coverage. It is not fair. You need to fix this right now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly! How can you take from teachers who have already retired what we were promised--affordable healthcare!

      Delete
  15. I wonder how things may have been different if Gregg Abbott's wife had retired from her job in education to be the caregiver for her husband. How would she have managed to afford the life saving insurance necessary for her paraplegic husband and child. Ah but by grace of God.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm a 45 year old teacher who had to retire last year, after 15 years of teaching, because I have a neurological condition that doesn't allow me to work. When I retired, my wife and children all got onto my TRS insurance,because even though she is also a teacher, it was a better plan for us. We knew there were going to be some changes but we're floored when we got our statement in January. Our premium went from $512 a month to $999! We're heart broken. Not only did I lose 2/3 of my salary because I had to retire early, but now my wife wants to cancel her policy, and because they were so sneaky on their plans, my wife cannot go back on her school plan until next August. We stand to lose thousands. Thus just feels like a kick in the teeth. I know we are not valued by the legislature, but it feels as if they just want us to die, silently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is why we must BLOCK VOTE AND CONTACT LEGISLATORS! I have included email addresses, phone numbers, and Twitter username/handle. We need to call UNFRIENDLY legislators and tell them we will BLOCK VOTE and FRIENDLY legislators to thank them!

      Delete
  17. your deductible went from $400 to $1500 ? Mine has been $2500 for many years. And my monthly premium is over $800 just for me. Just because you're a teacher ( or retired one ) doesn't mean you should be speacially privileged to have such a low deductible. You just entered into Realville with the rest of us workin stiffs. You want more money for our kids ? Lets quit educating ILLEGAL ALIENS and bending over backwards for them while we taxpayers get the shaft of higher and higher taxes. Quit building such fancy buildings. Quit providing 2-3 meals a day that many of the kids literally throw in the trash ( I know this is true becuase I had a relative work in the cafeteria and she saw this happen all the time ). Quit bussing every kid ! We tie up millions in busses and insurance and drivers and fuel and R&M. 53% of my property taxes goes to the local ISD. Thats enough.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DEAR ANNONYMOUS
      As you said, welcome to the Realville world. Perhaps you need to investigate why 53% of your taxes go to property taxes for the local ISD. Your governor and Lt. Governor are directly responsible for high property taxes in your local school district. They not only did not support an increase in school funding, they voted to reduce funding for public schools. They also have straddled school districts with unfunded mandates. All of this has resulted in significant tax increases state wide just to keep the doors open. Sounds like you have a fairly good job that also provides some health care benefits. In order to get the job you have, some teahers influenced your life. So why blast the very people who are responsible for you being successful.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous. Please read this: https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/a-punishing-decade-for-school-funding

      I sincerely hate that your deductible and premium are so high; however, when we began teaching, we were promised affordable healthcare in retirement. When we completed our retirement paperwork, it was with the promise of affordable healthcare.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous---I saw this story this morning and thought of you. This may explain more about our property taxes: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/candidate-for-texas-lt-gov-releases-property-tax-report/516256469

      Delete
  18. I recently retired after 32 years as a teacher/administrator. Luckily I only have one monthly prescription. When I was still working this prescription went from $3 to $13 last year. After retiring it went to $20 something in Sept., $36 in Oct., then $25 for a 3 month supply. This month I refilled it...$208.54 for a 3 month supply. I will never meet the $1500 deductible that I now have...and for that I guess I should be thankful?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vicki--that is definitely a reason to be thankful! It is the fear of what could be and hearing all of the stories of our fellow retired educators suffering that makes this all so difficult.

      Delete
  19. Great Article, and so true. However nothing will change without organizing and showing a united front. I hate to use the "union" word, but some organized representation in Austin is sorely needed.

    In our district the pay raises for the last 5 plus years have not covered the increased insurance cost. Our teachers are bringing home less than they did seven years ago. Today a teacher in our district with a family of 3 has about 30% of their pay go towards health insurance. CRAZY!

    It has been suggested to our State Rep., all Teachers become state employees with the same insurance and retirement benefits as all other state employees. Reduce the amount going to local school districts by the current salary cost. Create a statewide compensation plan for teacher so regardless of where you decide to live and teach, you make the same. This would allow the smaller rural district to have a level playing field against larger ISD's in attracting great teachers.

    School funding doesn't work to bad for LARGE districts, where the economies of scale work in their favor, but for rural, smaller schools its a death sentence. Just look at the campuses that look like small colleges in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin. Then make a trip to see a campus like Medina ISD in Medina TX. They don't even have an air-conditioned gym.

    Yes changes are needed, but until teachers organize and have "lobbyist" representing their needs in Austin it will never happen. Teachers need an all out Marketing Blitz before the next session.

    TEA is not there to represent or support teachers, so if you're serious about change, ORGANIZE!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! I have been saying that for years, and I am certain we are in this boat because of our failure to show our strength with a UNITED front! As I see more and more people tuning in and getting engaged over what has happened to us, I FINALLY see a glimmer of hope. I have no doubt in my mind the power of our votes if/when we UNITE!

      Delete
  20. My father is a retired teacher and his retirement check was cut short about $500.00 bucks and my Mother got kicked off his insurance just this month. I'll not vote for Abbott or Patrick again. If they cut the programs for the TWC spying on students that they have nothing to do with, Federal students that do not go through the TWC, they'd have enough money to cover these losses created by the greedy governor we have. I own a small private, for profit vocational school and the over-regulation and espionage habits of the State of Texas is killing schools like mine across the state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everything you write about, Darren, is SHAMEFUL! THANK YOU for joining us in BLOCK VOTING!

      Delete
  21. Chris, I taught 35 years before retiring in 1999. I think it was one year later that we got a tiny cost of living raise. AND not one penny since then! Suddenly this February my monthly retirement is $180 less than last month! I'm so worried. I cannot scratch up that missing amount to cover house taxes on my house, food, and what small amt. I was putting aside for my grandson's college coming up in just 2 years. I truly do not know how I'm going to make it or what I'm going to do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol--I am sitting here, sick to my stomach as I read this. Shameful is the only way I can describe what they have done. The ONLY way any of this will change is by:
      1. BLOCK VOTING--get those rated UNFRIENDLY out and work to get as many FRIENDLY legislators in.
      2. EMAIL, CALL, and TWEET to legislators to let them know you are joining the movement to BLOCK VOTE! Their contact information is on these sheets!

      FIGHT BACK!

      Delete
  22. Do you think the legislature does this to be mean, or are they doing this because healthcare costs are rising out of control in our country? You act like this is some slam on teachers, when in fact it is a simple - and the only - response to dramatically rising health care costs. Unless you are saying we should move away money form kids currently in school to pay your health insurance premiums?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous--You will get no argument from me regarding healthcare costs; however, that is by no means the only factor at play here. "Mean" is putting it much too mildly. What they have done is shameful! Here are a couple more points from the first-quarter issue of The Voice, a publication of Texas Retired Teachers Association:
      *The Employees Retirement System (ERS) healthcare plan is FULLY FUNDED by the Legislature. (Keep in mind that ERS is for "all other" state employees, including our retired legislators!)...However, education retirees pay for 50 PERCENT of the total cost of their healthcare through deductibles, premiums, co-pays, etc. The Legislature appropriates $600-$900 PER MONTH for a retired state employee's (ERS) healthcare and only ONE THIRD of that amount for a retired school employee's (TRS) healthcare.
      *Most TRS annuitants have not received a pension increase since retiring. In 2013, approximately 300,000 retirees received a 3 percent cost-of-living raise if they retired before September 1, 2004.
      *Those in ERS enjoy a $0 (ZERO!) deductible and a $0 (ZERO!) premium! The Legislature controls both plans!!! If this were just about rising healthcare costs, why would they appropriate 2/3 more for ERS retirees than for TRS retirees and WHY would they have a $0 deductible while we have a $1500 deductible that must be 100 percent met before a single penny is paid for medical care and prescription costs?

      Just some "food for thought."

      Delete
    2. Respectfully, you are missing the key issue, which is cost. The issue with rising premiums is a healthcare cost problem, not a funding problem. Just because ERS is being poorly managed and is eating these costs when it should not be really has nothing to do with TRS. If you want to fix this issue we have to fix healthcare costs. Otherwise we will find the state of Texas spending half of its annual budget every year on out of control medical bills for pensions and Medicaid. Until the cost problem is brought under control, teachers - like everyone else - will need to pay some of the rising healthcare costs.

      Delete
    3. Also, for what it is worth, I believe ERS should stop paying 100% of the premiums. Part of the reason why healthcare costs are out of control is because they are "free" to the end user. When is the last time you pushed back on your doctor when she ordered an un-necessary MRI, for example? Never, because it is "free".

      Delete
  23. ERS participants are state employees. Teachers and others employed in Texas education are employees of the school district for which they work. MAJOR difference. Teachers were promised healthcare not affordable healthcare. Your healthcare premiums are based on your risk pool. It appears your pool is composed of high risk individuals.

    You guys should start by asking questions about why with the four educator's who are members of the TRS Board who actually make the decisions and offer guidance to the state legislature.

    ReplyDelete