Part B is required for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage
TRS-Care Medicare Advantage is the TRS plan for retirees and eligible family members on Medicare, generally at 65 and older. It comes bundled with TRS-Care Medicare Rx for prescriptions. TRS's 2026 FAQs say:
- You must buy and keep Part B to enroll in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage.
- If you stop paying for Part B, you lose your TRS-Care Medicare Advantage coverage, and you can't re-enroll without Part B, outside of a special enrollment event.
- Enrolling in Part B on time also helps you avoid Medicare's late enrollment penalty, which adds 10% to your Part B premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't.
What about Part A?
TRS says to enroll in Part A only if you can get it without a premium. If you or your spouse have 40 quarters of Social Security-covered work, sign up for it. If you don't qualify, you don't need to buy Part A to be in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage; Part B is what's required.
Steps at 65
- About three months before you turn 65, sign up for Medicare with Social Security if you aren't enrolled automatically. See how do I sign up for Medicare in Texas.
- Once you have your Medicare card, give your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier to TRS so it can enroll you in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage.
- Keep paying your Part B premium to Social Security and your TRS-Care premium to TRS.
Before you join another Medicare plan: Medicare lets you be in only one Medicare Advantage plan and one drug plan at a time. Joining another Medicare Advantage or Part D plan would end your TRS-Care Medicare Advantage or Medicare Rx coverage, and TRS limits when you can come back. Call TRS Health at 1-888-237-6762 first.
Get help
TRS Health answers TRS-Care eligibility and enrollment questions at 1-888-237-6762, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central. For questions about Part B or premiums, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. A licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life can explain how Medicare works with your retiree coverage, at no cost to you, at (512) 265-6565, TTY 711. See TRS-Care, ERS and Medicare.
Related questions
Can ERS retirees choose their own Medicare plan?
HealthSelect Medicare Advantage and your options.
How do I sign up for Medicare in Texas?
Social Security handles enrollment.
Do I need Part B if I'm still working?
If you're still teaching at 65.
Sources
- TRS — 2026 TRS-Care Medicare Advantage FAQs
- TRS — TRS-Care eligibility and enrollment
- Medicare.gov — Avoid late enrollment penalties
Frequently asked questions
Why might a Texas teacher not get Part A without a premium?
Part A without a premium requires 40 quarters, about 10 years, of work in which you or your spouse paid into Social Security and Medicare. Not every retired educator has that record. Social Security can tell you whether you qualify, at 1-800-772-1213.
Who do I pay for Part B and for TRS-Care?
You pay the Part B premium to Medicare through Social Security; in 2026 the standard amount is $202.90 a month, more with higher income. You pay your TRS-Care premium to TRS, which usually takes it out of your annuity. You must pay both to stay in TRS-Care Medicare Advantage.
What if I have to pay IRMAA?
TRS says you must pay your Part B premium, including any income-related amount, to keep Part B. If you don't pay the Part D income-related amount, you lose Part D eligibility and your TRS-Care Medicare Rx coverage, though you can keep TRS-Care Medicare Advantage.
If I leave TRS-Care, can I come back?
Only in limited cases. TRS says retirees who leave TRS-Care can re-enroll when they turn 65 or when they have a special enrollment event, such as losing other comprehensive coverage through no fault of their own.
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