CALLING EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION: ONE MORE WEEK!

Early Voting Starts Next Monday, October 22

ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!

            Wednesday, September 19, I drove to Austin to attend Teacher Retirement System of Texas board meetings September 20 and 21, as well as a Texas AFT press conference at the capitol September 20.  (Remember that TRS is a misnomer; it is the retirement system for all public-education employees, not only teachers.)

            The TRS Board’s agenda item that was important enough for me to drive to Austin was the proposed $50 increase in premium for TRS retirees under the age of 65.  Although this increase was part of a four-year step increase decided upon during the 2017 Legislative Session, an outcry from those of us living what I call the #TRShealthcarenightmare caused TRS administrators and board members to reconsider. 

            I attended the TRS Benefits Committee meeting Thursday, September 20.  When the committee got to the agenda item regarding the premium increase, Brian Guthrie, executive director of TRS, told the committee he was not recommending any changes to the plan.  He said the plan was in better shape than it had been, primarily because of TRS negotiations with healthcare providers.  Because Brian was not recommending any change, a vote would not be required the following day during the TRS Board’s official meeting.

            I then made my way to the capitol for the press conference called by the Texas AFT Retiree Committee.  Cheryl Anderson, a retired teacher from Houston, chairs this committee.  She told the assembled group the committee would be delivering a letter to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick “respectfully requesting a sit-down meeting” with him to hear his plan regarding the changes to TRS retirees’ healthcare plans that went into effect January 1.  The lt. governor has broken countless promises to Texas public-education employees and retirees and has done anything BUT support public education in Texas, despite being charged with following the Texas Constitution:

            Cheryl said the Texas AFT Retiree Committee was calling for a rollback of the devastating cuts to benefits imposed during the 2017 Legislative Session. 

ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!

             “You changed the rules in the middle of our game,” Cheryl said.  She said--and I agree 100 percent--that many of us would not have retired had we known how dramatically the cost of our healthcare would increase.  “They violated our social contract…and broke the bond that they would take care of retired educators,” she added.

            Rita Runnels, a Cypress-Fairbanks ISD retiree, also spoke at the press conference.  Rita worked as a teacher and an administrator, serving Texas students for over 30 years. She correctly said Texas retired educators are “at the breaking point” and that TRS pensions do not keep up with inflation because there are no cost-of-living increases.  She also said, “We had a reasonable expectation when we retired” that our healthcare would be affordable.  Boy, were we duped!

            Daryl Jones, who taught in Austin for 40 years, spoke next, discussing the critical need for the Texas Legislature to significantly increase the state’s contribution to TRS.  He called for our state’s leaders to fund TRS Care and TRS ActiveCare (for those still working) appropriately.  Like many others, I call for them to fund TRS like they fund the state’s other retirement system, ERS.  The Employee Retirement System of Texas is for all other state employees and for our legislators.  (More on that later.)

            Finally, Charles Reynolds spoke at the Texas AFT Retiree Committee’s press conference at the capitol.  Charles is a retired bus driver from Cy-Fair. 

            “When the health insurance premium goes up,” he said, “it hits us the hardest.  Our lifetime annuity is not the same since we are not certified teachers.”  Charles went on to say that many custodians and bus drivers often find summer jobs in an attempt to supplement their income.

            It’s important here to note the pension distribution for TRS retirees:

            Imagine earning less than $1000 per month after working in our schools for your entire career and then dealing with this devastating change to your healthcare, after the fact. 

            Let me give you a quick example of how my own healthcare has been affected by what Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and several other Texas legislators did to TRS during the 2017 Legislative Session.

            When I retired in 2013, I was told my monthly premium would be $295 and that I would have a $400 deductible.  I figured out my retirement budget with this in mind, and the state kept its promise to me for four years.  Then, in year five of retirement, everything changed.  Suddenly, my premium changed to $200 per month (with a four-year step increase that would take it to $370 by 2021) for a nearly worthless, high-deductible plan.  That deductible went from $400 to $1500, and instead of having a co-pay until I reach my deductible, I now have to pay 100 percent of all healthcare and prescription costs out of pocket until I reach my $1500 deductible.  (For married couples covered under TRS, their deductible is now $3000—NOT $1500 per person, either.  They must reach the entire $3000 before TRS Care pays a penny of their healthcare and prescription costs, with the exception of a list of “standard generic drugs” that are covered.)

            I have avoided going to the doctor the entire year.  No annual check-up, for sure.   However, I could not avoid two things—a thyroid sonogram I must have due to a large number of nodules and a retina specialist visit because I had the symptoms of a retinal detachment.  As a result, I have paid over $1000 out of pocket without TRS Care paying a single penny.  So tell me again, Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick, why, exactly, I have to pay a monthly premium when I cannot even USE my health insurance, health insurance I was PROMISED throughout my career and again BEFORE I made the decision to retire??

            And I am one of the blessed ones.  I have read endless stories of active and retired educators across the state who are battling cancer, who need hip replacements, and who have children battling critical health issues who now are also facing financial ruin because they must choose between paying their monthly bills or paying for their healthcare.

            Meanwhile, retired legislators and all other state employees fortunate enough to be covered by ERS not only are paying a $0-per-month premium but also have a $0 deductible for healthcare.  ZERO-DOLLAR PREMIUM and ZERO-DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE!  ZERO!  They also have a $50 deductible for prescriptions, while those of us who dedicated our lives to the children of Texas and who believed in the promises made to us have a $1500 deductible with NO CO-PAY! 

ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!  ROLLBACK!

            While the rollback cannot happen until January when the 2019 Legislative Session begins, VOTING begins NEXT MONDAY, October 22!!!  IT’S TIME FOR OUR VOICES TO BE 

HEARD---AT THE VOTING BOOTHS!

            1.  Go to texansforpubliceducation.com.

            2. Scroll down on their home page to “Our Ratings.”
            3.  Carefully read the list of candidates who, after extensive research and voting by T4PE members, have been rated “FRIENDLY,” “NEUTRAL,” or “UNFRIENDLY” to public education (which includes to public-ed employees).  BLOCK VOTE, regardless of party, for the PUBLIC-ED FRIENDLY candidates!

            4.  Find out where to vote in your area and vote during EARLY VOTING!  Call friends and family members and ask them to do the same.  Ask your former students and their parents for their support, too.  Post on social media.  Do whatever you have to do to let our Texas legislators know ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! 

            According to the TRS website, there are currently 1.5 million TRS members, both active and retired.  IMAGINE WHAT IS POSSIBLE!!!  THEN, MAKE IT HAPPEN!  While our call for a rollback will get louder come January, this is our battle cry now:

BLOCK VOTE!  BLOCK VOTE!  BLOCK VOTE!

Cheryl Anderson, chair of the Texas AFT Retiree Committee, delivers a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's Office in September.

The letter Cheryl delivered to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's office

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. (Photo by Linda Blackwell, McAllen)