Health Insurance

The Teachers’ Retirement Board (TRB) offers Medicare-based health plans for retirees age 65 and older who are eligible for Medicare. Two primary plan options are available: Original Medicare with a Supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan, each with prescription drug coverage. We encourage you to visit the TRB website for detailed information about each plan.

Retired teachers who are not Medicare eligible and not on a TRB plan should contact their plan sponsor (usually their former Board of Education) for information about their individual health coverage.

All enrollees in TRB plans are required to pay the Medicare Part B premium. The standard Medicare Part B premium for 2026 is $203.00, although some individuals may pay more due to income-related surcharges.

Those enrolled in the Supplement plan are subject to a $283 annual (2026) Medicare Part B deductible. This deductible must be met once each year before Medicare and the Supplement begin paying benefits. You can track your progress toward meeting this deductible in real time by creating an account at medicare.gov, where you can view what Medicare has paid and what remains for your Supplement plan to cover.

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you are not using Original Medicare. Claims and coverage information must be obtained directly from your Advantage plan insurer.

We understand that health insurance can be complex and the terminology confusing. Our Insurance Committee carefully reviews available information to better understand these plans and to help our members understand their plans. It is important that members read plan materials and information on the TRB website and to know which plan they are on; Original Medicare with a Supplement or the Advantage plan.  We believe that being knowledgeable healthcare consumers is essential. To support this, we provide educational resources on our website to help you “stay health insurance smart.” For articles, videos, and additional information, visit the Insurance Information tab on the ARTC main page and click “Learn More.”