Victoria ISD outlines TRS ActiveCare premium increases, benefit details and employee impacts for 2025–26

At the Aug. 14 board meeting Victoria ISD presented a public update on employee insurance, describing TRS ActiveCare premium increases for the 2025–26 plan year and explaining plan details and supports available to employees.

Tracy Beck, identified in the presentation as VISD’s employee benefits coordinator, and district staff member Miss Nobles delivered the briefing. Beck and Nobles said TRS — not VISD — sets the ActiveCare regional premiums using claims data for Region 3. "TRS, not VISD, sets our annual medical insurance premiums based on claims data, across the region," Nobles told the board.

Key numbers the presentation listed for 2025–26: - Benefits-eligible employees at VISD: about 2,100. - Enrolled in TRS ActiveCare plans (2024–25 snapshot): 1,235 employees; of those, 968 were in employee-only plans, 229 in employee+children, 14 in employee+spouse and 24 in family plans. (Enrollment for 2025–26 was still open during presentation; exact 25–26 enrollment not specified.) - Premium increases reported by TRS ActiveCare for 2025–26: employee-only plans rose between $39 and $46 per month depending on plan; employee+children plans rose $67–$79 per month, according to the handout shown to trustees. - VISD monthly employer contribution shown historically: the district currently contributes $300 per month (noted in the presentation as $3,600 annually) for employees who participate in TRS ActiveCare. - Deductibles for 2025–26 plans as presented: ActiveCare Primary deductible $2,500; Primary Plus $1,200; High Deductible (HSA-eligible) $3,300.

Benefits staff used two examples to show how premium increases affect net pay raises approved earlier by the board: a classroom teacher receiving a $5,000 teacher retention allotment increase would see $468 in additional annual premiums if enrolled in an employee-only primary plan, reducing the net increase to $4,532; a professional support staff member with a $1,500 raise would see the same $468 premium impact, producing a net raise of about $1,032 after the premium change, the staff presentation illustrated.

Staff also summarized employer-paid benefits available to employees who waive TRS ActiveCare and those who participate: employer-paid dental, vision, hospital indemnity for waivers; district-paid $25,000 basic life insurance (increased from $10,000 last year); identity-theft monitoring plan; employee assistance program (SupportLink) and financial planning/coaching (FinPath). Beck and Nobles described personal health guides available through Blue Cross Blue Shield/ActiveCare to assist members with network navigation and cost-saving options.

Board members asked about deductibles, plan networks and wellness options such as gym memberships. Nobles and Beck said the ActiveCare plans use a large Blue Cross Blue Shield network and that some local wellness partnerships (such as waived sign-up fees) had been explored but no district-wide paid gym membership was currently in place.

Nobles reminded employees that annual open enrollment runs through Aug. 15 and that coverage changes take effect Sept. 1 for the new plan year.