As teachers and school employees across the Region 11 Education Service Center review benefits for the 2026–2027 school year, many are doing a double-take at the cost of family health coverage.
The newly released TRS-ActiveCare plan highlights show monthly costs climbing sharply for employees who need to cover a spouse or children. In some plans, adding a spouse pushes monthly premiums close to $1,600, while family coverage can approach nearly $2,800 a month before deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs are even considered.
For many school employees in communities like Benbrook, the numbers are difficult to ignore, especially as families continue balancing rising grocery bills, housing costs, childcare, and everyday expenses.
The benefits guide outlines several plan options through TRS-ActiveCare, including Primary, Primary+, HD, and ActiveCare 2. While each offers different deductibles and provider networks, many educators say the overall monthly cost for dependent coverage remains one of the biggest concerns heading into the new school year.
Some employees are also learning that there may be other options beyond simply enrolling the entire family in the district plan. Insurance professionals and educators alike have started pointing families toward private PPO alternatives that can work alongside a teacher’s existing school coverage, sometimes at a lower monthly cost with broader provider access.
The conversation has become increasingly common among Texas educators who say healthcare costs are now taking up a larger share of already stretched household budgets.
More information about TRS-ActiveCare plans and coverage details is available from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
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