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

Texas Legislators—How Could You?

As I walked out of the Hynes Event Center in Mercedes Monday, October 23, I felt sick.  Literally.  I also felt angry….and sad…and worried.  How could Texas legislators do this to public school employees who spent years teaching our state’s children, caring for their physical and emotional needs, feeding them, keeping the facilities clean, answering the phone and greeting parents and community members, and doing everything else school district employees do?

            I had just left a Texas Teacher Retirement System session about the changes to our healthcare plans, compliments of the 85^th Texas Legislature.  For those of us who are under 65, our plan is called a “High Deductible Health Plan.”  Healthcare.gov describes an HDHP like this:  “A plan with a higher deductible than a traditional insurance plan. The monthly premium is usually lower, but you pay more health care costs yourself before the insurance company starts to pay its share (your deductible).”  Perfect description.

            I already knew the 85^th Texas Legislature raised our deductible from $400 to $1500.  I also knew I would no longer have a co-pay.  What does that mean?  It means that now when I go to the doctor or pharmacy (That’s right!  I no longer have a pharmacy co-pay, either.), instead of paying approximately $25, I will pay the full bill until I reach my $1500 deductible.  No problem.  As a wealthy retiree, $1500 is chump change.  Oh, wait!  I am a retired teacher.  Fifteen hundred dollars is a lot of money.

            Once I reach my $1500 deductible, Aetna will pay 80 percent of my medical bills and prescription drugs, if I use an in-network doctor.  When I have paid $5650 out of pocket to in-network facilities, physicians, and pharmacies, Aetna will pay 100 percent of my in-network medical costs.

            The more the presenter talked, the sicker I felt.  I couldn’t imagine how retired public school employees whose spouse is covered under their TRS healthcare must have been feeling.  For them, grim couldn’t even begin to describe their situation.  The deductible for public school retirees with two or more family members on their healthcare plan is $3000.  You would think that means $1500 for the retiree and $1500 for the spouse, but that’s not the case.  Thanks to our Texas legislators, those retirees must pay 100 percent of their medical and prescription costs until they have spent $3000 out of pocket.  So even if the retiree has already paid $1500 for medical and pharmaceutical bills, he/she has to keep paying until $3000 has been spent.  However, when it comes to the family’s maximum-out-of-pocket, that is figured on an individual basis rather than by family.  Go figure.

            Texas Legislators, how well do you know the statistics?  According to the Texas Retired Teachers Association, TRS has more than 375,000 retirees whose average monthly pension is $2035.  But what’s even worse…much worse…is that 30 percent of TRS retirees, roughly 105,000, receive $1000 or less per month.  How in the world do they expect these dedicated public school retirees to afford the healthcare they have subjected us to? 

            But why should they worry?  After all, remember--they kept all other state employees, whose healthcare is covered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas rather than by TRS, at a $0 deductible.  And don’t forget—that includes retired legislators who have served at least eight years.  So I served the children of this state for 29 years, and I have a $1500 deductible with no co-pay, and they can serve eight years and pay a $0 deductible?

            Texas Legislators, how could you?

(Note:  Last week, Eloise Montemayor, community relations/public sector associate with United Way of South Texas shared information with me about FamilyWize, a United Way partner that reduces the cost of prescription medicine through agreements with pharmacies nationwide.  FamilyWize is for individuals with and without insurance, there is no cost to use FamilyWize, and there are no income qualifications.  Go to familywize.org and print out a card or download the app.  For any prescription medication you need to purchase, visit their site and find the local pharmacy that will give you the best deal.  When you go to pick up your prescription, show them your card.  At this point, every penny counts.)

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 Sarina Manahan)

Attention Texas Retired Public School Employees!

This week, I decided to write about changes/sessions/organizations my fellow public school retirees should know about:

1.         As you should know by now, the Texas Legislature worked diligently during the 2017 legislative session to turn our healthcare upside down.  For those of us under 65, our deductible is going from $400 to $1500.  We will no longer have a co-pay for prescriptions.  Instead, we will pay 100 percent of our prescription drug cost until we reach the $1500 medical deductible. After that, the plan will pay 80/20.  The exception to this?  A list of standard, generic medications that will be completely covered by our new-and-significantly-reduced healthcare plan. (Find that list by clicking here.)  To learn more about all of our prescription drug coverage changes, click here. 

            For those who are 65 and over, you will still have a co-pay through your Medicare prescription drug plan.  You can click on the link above, too, to learn more about the changes taking effect January 1.

2.         Why did the Texas Legislature increase our deductible to $1500 and significantly increase our premiums over the next four years while continuing to provide healthcare to all other state employees (INCLUDING retired legislators) at a $0 deductible and $0 premium?  I believe what many others have said—because Texas teachers have been a proverbial sleeping giant, many not voting during state elections and most not involved in organizations fighting for our benefits like other groups--like police officers and firefighters--do. 

            One of the first things I recommend is joining the Texas Retired Teachers Association.  The annual membership fee is just $35, and TRTA worked tirelessly to restore what the Texas Legislature did to us during the regular session.  (They originally increased our deductible to $3000. After “the sleeping giant” awakened, they reduced it to $1500 during the special session, still $1100 more than we paid previously and not restoring our prescription drug coverage.)  Imagine if TRTA and some of our teachers’ associations hadn’t gotten involved!  To learn more about TRTA and to join, go here.

            TRTA also has local units that meet on a monthly basis and work to get more public school retirees involved in educating other retirees, networking, getting out the vote, and lobbying on our behalf.  Local membership is $10 per year.  Getting involved in my local unit is a commitment I made because of what the Texas Legislature has done.  To find the local unit nearest you, click here.

3.         In case you haven’t heard, TRS is currently holding informational sessions about all of the changes we can expect to our healthcare plans.  You must register to attend.  For more information on sessions near you and to register, click here.

            If you live in McAllen, one morning session in McAllen has been added.  It will be held October 25.  If you prefer to attend the McAllen session but already registered for one of the sessions in Weslaco/Mercedes, be sure to cancel that registration and register in McAllen.  Don’t wait or you will miss out.

4.         Become a member of Texans for Public Education.  This membership is free, and this is how the group is described on the TfPE website:  We're a group of people who are sick of what the politicians are doing with our school system, so we're taking it back using something they understand very well. We're block voting, and that's a very personal decision with which we want every member comfortable. 

            TfPE is non-partisan.  A research crew is diligently combing through the voting records, campaign contributors, media releases, and other critical information of each elected state official (House, Senate, and State Board of Education).  Once opponents join the races, they will also be thoroughly researched.  The committee then votes to move each candidate to “friendly” or “unfriendly” status.  Members are then provided with the rating and the research to back up that rating, and there is a process to challenge the rating.  I strongly urge you to not only visit the TfPE website but to become a member of the closed group on Facebook.

            When election time rolls around, TfPE members will work tirelessly to get fellow Texans who support public education to block vote according to the candidates’ final status.  This group is not only about public school employee benefits.  It’s about supporting public education in our state.

5.         Finally, on a much lighter note, for those retirees who live in the Rio Grande Valley and who want to get informed on a wide range of health topics, join us for monthly DHR Retired Professionals Committee meetings.  The meetings are held the first or second Friday of each month, depending on the availability of the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. Lunch is provided.  For more information about this group, which is actually open to all retirees, not only those of us who retired from the public school system, please send an email to me at cardis1022@aol.com

            Throughout the year, I will be updating retirees on important news.  AWAKEN, SLEEPING GIANT!

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 Sarina Manahan)