TRS details 2025 TRIP, TRAIL premiums, new "Medicare family split" and enrollment deadlines

A TRS staff member said the Teachers' Retirement System's retiree insurance programs — TRIP (Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program) for pre‑Medicare retirees and TRAIL (Total Retiree Advantage Illinois) for Medicare‑eligible retirees — have updated premiums and a new family‑split rule that takes effect July 1, 2025.

The presentation said the annual open enrollment for TRIP runs May 1 through June 2, 2025, with plan changes effective July 1, 2025. TRAIL has a separate annual enrollment window in mid‑October through mid‑November with a Jan. 1 effective date. "Something new this year is what we refer to as Medicare family split," the TRS staff member said, describing the rule change.

TRIP eligibility and carriers TRIP is the primary medical coverage for retired TRS members under age 65. To enroll, retirees must be in retired status and have at least eight years of TRS service credit. The presenter said coverage options and carriers vary by the retiree's state and county of residence and may include an HMO, an open access plan (OAP) or a PPO.

2025 TRIP premiums (per person, per month) The presenter read the July 1, 2025 TRIP premiums as follows. For a typical non‑Medicare retiree aged 26–64: HMO or OAP premium $370.76; PPO premium $857.02. She said a lower PPO rate of $431.60 applies in counties where an HMO or OAP is not available. The presentation also listed dependent premiums in the presented chart, for example: a spouse on HMO/OAP $1,483.01 and spouse on PPO $1,007.26, and dependent child amounts shown in the chart.

TRAIL (Medicare) premiums and enrollment TRAIL, the Medicare Advantage option administered with Aetna, requires enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B. The presenter stated TRAIL member premium $7.35 per month and dependent premium $27.14 per month. TRAIL includes prescription drug, dental and vision benefits, and the presenter said these are available to dependents as well.

Medicare family split and timing Under the new "Medicare family split," the presenter said, if one person on a retiree's policy becomes Medicare‑eligible before other family members, the Medicare‑eligible person must enroll in TRAIL effective July 1, 2025, while the non‑Medicare family members remain on TRIP until they themselves become Medicare‑eligible. This differs from the previous rule under which the member and dependents moved together to TRAIL only once all were Medicare‑eligible. The presenter instructed households in that situation to contact the My Benefits Service Center during the TRIP open enrollment (May 1–June 2, 2025) to enroll the Medicare‑eligible person in TRAIL.

Enrollment steps, contacts and timing The presenter said the earliest a retiree can enroll in TRIP is the first of the month after retirement; alternatively, enrollment can begin the first of the month after other employer coverage ends with a termination letter. To enroll in TRIP during the May 1–June 2, 2025 window, retirees who are not yet on TRIP must request a TRIP participation election form from TRS (call 877‑927‑5877 or email members@trsil.org), return it by May 30, 2025, and then call My Benefits Service Center at (844) 251‑1777 by June 2 to select a carrier. The presenter emphasized that TRS will deduct TRIP and TRAIL premiums from pension payments; premiums effective July 1 will appear on the Aug. 1, 2025 pension payment.

Carrier change and Health Alliance note The presenter warned that Health Alliance will no longer offer the TRIP managed care option effective July 1, 2025. Members currently enrolled with Health Alliance must choose a different carrier and contact My Benefits Service Center before the close of open enrollment (June 2) or will default to the PPO effective July 1 and be unable to change again until the 2026 open enrollment.

Documentation and Medicare enrollment The presenter advised members approaching age 65 to apply for Medicare Parts A and B through the Social Security Administration and to provide a copy of their Medicare card or enrollment letter to TRS (upload or photograph it in the TRS account). For those whose Medicare effective date is the first of the month they turn 65, the presenter recommended enrolling in TRAIL in early to mid‑May so a June 1 TRAIL start date aligns with Medicare.

What the presentation did not specify The presenter read premiums and enrollment procedures from slides and a chart but did not provide an itemized explanation of how the TRIP or TRAIL premiums were negotiated, specific contract numbers, or the full pricing methodology from CMS. The CMS (Central Management Services) plan administrator and the My Benefits Service Center vendor were identified as parties who handle pricing/administration and enrollments respectively.

Ending note The presenter closed by repeating the contact information for TRS, My Benefits Service Center and CMS and by reiterating the May–June 2025 deadlines for TRIP changes that take effect July 1, 2025.