As we reported yesterday, Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, announced this week that the House budget will contain full funding for TRS-Care, the health insurance program for retired educators.
Soon thereafter, Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), who chairs the corresponding Senate Finance Committee, was quoted as saying, “It is important to several members, myself included, that we devote resources to TRS-Care and our teachers. The Senate Finance Committee is working very hard on these and other budget issues.”
Today, Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van), who chairs the House Committee on Pensions that oversees the Teacher Retirement System, joined the chorus of legislators pledging support for increasing educators’ healthcare funding. Flynn stated in part, “I am glad that the House is going to address the shortage of funding for retiree health care over the next two years as we continue to assess long-term solutions in my committee for those who served our state and our school children for so many years.”
I think that those retired from Education should get free health insurance or at a reduced rate. I only make &700 a month on disability. Who can live and pay for the insurance and rent, food, gas, and utilities as well as out of pocket fees charged by the health care system? I also think it is ridiculous to be denied health coverage if you declined it once for having to go cheaper routes to find out that your spouse gets laid off and you are now without and facing cancer. Really now that is just really dumb and not taking care of the people who cared for your children for so long.
My concern is that retired teachers have to worry about this healthcare issue every two years. There needs to be some sort of longer term solution so that the funding is there for at least a 6 to 10 year period of time. Do our legislators have to reallocate funds for their healthcare benefit every two years? It is my understanding that state employees get their health insurance free AND their dependents at half price. Is that still the case? If so, perhaps that dependent benefit should be cut out of the budget to free up monies to go in more needed areas.
My wife and I were public school teachers for over 25 years in Mesquite. We are thus on a fixed budget and raising my grandson who is 4 and sending to pre K at $100 a week. We also take care of my 93 yr old mother n law and my 90 year old father and the state legislature can not decide to fund our health insurance??
My concern is that retired teachers have to worry about this healthcare issue every two years. There needs to be some sort of longer term solution so that the funding is there for at least a 6 to 10 year period of time. Also, I think that those retired from Education should get free health insurance or at a reduced rate. As I will soon be retiring, I will only make a fixed amount every month. Who can live and pay for the insurance and rent, food, gas, and other utilities as well as out-of-pocket fees charged by the healthcare system? I have worked in Education since 1976, and probably won’t be able to get another job; I took care of Junior High students and High School students for this?