Important Payment Information for Retired Employees Served by UT Benefits Billing
You can expect to receive your billing statement in your mailbox on the 1st of each month, or very shortly afterward. The monthly due date for retiree insurance premium payments is the 10th of every month. All retirees have to pay for optional coverage, which includes dependent medical coverage, dental, vision, and/or voluntary life insurance plans. You are not limited to paying one month at a time. You can pay for as many months in advance as you wish.
Payment Options
1. Major Credit Card/Debit Card payments can be processed 24/7 at the Texas State Comptroller's UT Benefits Billing website: www.texas.gov/UTBB.
Please enter the Retiree's Benefits ID number on the site. If you supply a valid email address, you will receive a confirmation receipt for your payment.
2. Credit Card payments accepted over the phone. You can call our toll-free number (855-6UT-BILL) at your convenience to pay for your Retiree insurance premiums. We accept MASTERCARD or VISA.
3. Complete and submit a TRS Annuity Deduction form. If you are going to receive or are currently receiving an Annuity (Retirement) check from Teacher's Retirements System, you can sign up for this option. This is the safest and most convenient way to make your monthly insurance premium payments.
- New Retirees: You will need to make your payment by other methods for the first two months until your Annuity deduction has been established.
- Your account will need to be paid up-to-date by the 10th of the month before it can be set up for the next month's deductions.
- The deduction from each monthly annuity check – which is issued at the end of the month – will cover that entire month’s coverage. For example, an annuity deduction from your November 30 annuity check will cover November’s premiums.
4. Complete and submit a new Direct Debit Agreement to UT Benefits Billing if you wish to have your voluntary retiree insurance premiums debited directly from your designated bank account.
- Your balance must be paid in full for the Agreement to be processed.
- The deadline to receive the Agreement in our office is the 10th of every month. If you are up to date on payments, your Direct Debit draft will begin with the following month's premium. For example, an Agreement received by November 10th will begin with the December draft.
- Agreements received after the 10th of the month are processed the following month. An agreement received on November 20th, for example, would start with the January draft. Be sure to submit payments by check or credit card in the meantime because a missed December payment would delay the start of the Agreement.
You will receive a Confirmation Letter once your Agreement is processed. We will provide you with a new Confirmation Letter after every Annual Enrollment. You will not receive monthly billing statements.
Please contact our office for assistance with the Agreement form or for any other questions or concerns.
5. You can use the Bill Pay option through your bank. Be sure to update your Payee information to include the correct mailing address:
UT System Lockbox
ATTN: UT Benefits Billing
P.O. Box 732206
Dallas, Texas 75373-2206
Be sure to use your Benefits ID as your Account Number. You can find the Benefits ID on your statement or feel free to call our office for assistance. You can expect to receive monthly statements if you have a monthly balance.
6. Send your monthly Retiree insurance premium payments directly to the UT System lockbox address. Include your coupon from the bottom of your monthly statement along with your check or money order. Payments should be sent directly to the lockbox address. Please do not include any correspondence with your payment. You are not limited to paying one month at a time and you can pay for as many months in advance as you wish. You can expect to receive monthly statements if you have a monthly balance.
In the Event of Non-Payment
Statements are sent out monthly to the address on file. It is important to update your address with your Institution as changes occur to continue receiving statements in a timely manner. UT Benefits Billing will send Payment Reminder Notices by regular and certified mail if you fall behind by two months. The next communication you will receive will be a Termination Letter for all Voluntary Coverage (also sent by regular and certified mail). Overall, you will have a 45-day window to submit your payment in full to avoid losing all Voluntary (optional) Coverage. You MUST notify Benefits Billing if you intend to pay in full so we are aware when payment is received and have sufficient time to stop the termination of your coverage.
Your medical insurance is paid in full with Premium Sharing funds from your Institution and the State of Texas.
PLEASE NOTE: In the event of non-payment, the election of Voluntary Coverage during any future enrollment period will be prohibited until the non-payment status has been resolved. Payment will be required in an amount equal to the premiums that would have been owed for the remainder of the plan year in which the coverage you originally elected was canceled.
Basic Medical and Life coverage remain in place for you as a Retiree of UT System. Voluntary coverage can be elected during Annual Enrollment after non-payment status has been resolved. Enrollment in Voluntary Life coverage during Annual Enrollment requires completion of Evidence of Insurability (EOI) form through your institution and is accepted by the plan’s Underwriter.
Surviving spouses/dependents are not able to come back onto the plan if coverage is terminated due to non-payment. You cannot re-elect the coverage at a later date.
Non-Payment Appeals
If payment is not received due to extenuating circumstances and your insurance is terminated, you are asked to call Benefits Billing so we can explain your options based on your particular situation.
