Insurance Benefits in Retirement for Former Employees

A comparison
Retiree Benefits Active Employee Benefits
Health + $2,500 Basic Term Life + Prescription Drug Coverage Health + $5,000 Basic Term Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) + Prescription Drug Coverage
Dental
Vision
Optional Term Life - Elections 1-2 or $10,000 Fixed Optional Life Optional Term Life - Elections 1-4
Dependent Term Life - $2,500 Dependent Term Life - $5,000
Long-term Care (existing accounts only)
TexFlex - Health care and limited flexible spending account:
  • Can choose to continue participation through COBRA and file claims for eligible expenses incurred throughout participation
  • Cannot enroll after retired or make contributions from annuity check
Dependent care and commuter spending accounts:
  • Cannot enroll or continue enrollment
The TexFlex debit card is deactivated on the last day of the month in which your employment ends.		 TexFlex - Active employees, including retirees with active employee benefits, can contribute to and use funds in TexFlex health or limited, dependent care and/or commuter spending accounts.
Texa$aver - Retirees can keep their Texa$aver accounts and can roll over funds from other retirement accounts into their Texa$aver accounts.
  • Retirees who have not returned to work cannot enroll in, have a loan on, or contribute to a Texa$aver account.
 Texa$aver - Active employees automatically enrolled in the 401 (k) at 1% 
  • Retirees who have returned to work for State of Texas agencies and participating higher education institutions can contribute to their Texa$aver accounts, whether they are enrolled in retiree benefits or active employee benefits.
- AD&D
- Short-term and long-term disability insurance
- Premium conversion (tax savings)

ERS benefits are subject to change without notice and depend on funding by the Texas Legislature, as well as member contributions.

Retiring before age 65? See Health insurance benefits if you're retiring before age 65.

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