The Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) will no longer offer the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan^SM, administered by Careington International Corporation after August 31, 2019. 

Providing our members with the opportunity to enroll in a dental discount plan through the Discount Purchase Program allows them to add and drop the benefit on a monthly basis, as needed, without waiting for their annual enrollment period or a qualifying life event (QLE). 

After August 1, 2019, new employees cannot enroll in the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan. If a new employee enrolled in the plan on or before August 1, their benefits will end on August 31, 2019.

If new employees want Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) dental insurance benefits starting September 1, they should have signed up for a dental insurance plan during their Summer Enrollment phase. 

If new employees want to sign up for a dental discount plan, they can look for one in the Discount Purchase Program starting September 1, 2019. For more information, please see Question 7 below.
 

Yes,  a dental discount plan is not dental insurance. 

There are no claims to file, no copayments or deductibles to meet. You do not need to choose a primary care dentist, but you must use a participating dentist to get a discounted price. Participating dentists accept a discounted fee as payment-in-full for dental services performed.
 

Your State of Texas Dental Discount Plan coverage will end August 31, 2019. 

If you want to enroll in another dental discount plan, you can do so through the Discount Purchase Program starting September 1. For more information, please see Question 7 below. 

Active employee and retirees not enrolled in Medicare:
Unless you signed up for one of the two GBP dental insurance plans during Summer Enrollment, you will not have dental coverage through the GBP starting September 1, 2019.

If you signed up for either the State of Texas Dental Choice Plan PPO or the DeltaCare USA DHMO during Summer Enrollment, your dental insurance coverage will start September 1, 2019. 

Medicare-enrolled retirees who are currently enrolled in the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan:
You can sign up for another dental discount plan through the Discount Purchase Program starting September 1. For more information, please see Question 7 below. 

If you want to enroll in a GBP dental insurance plan, ERS is allowing Medicare retirees currently in the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan to elect dental insurance outside of Fall Enrollment, but you must do so by September 30. Please contact ERS toll-free at (877) 275-4377 (TTY: 711 or (800) 735-2989) before September 1, 2019 to elect a dental plan. 

ERS offers two dental insurance plans. :

• State of Texas Dental Choice Plan^SM preferred provider organization (PPO) or 
• DeltaCare USA dental health maintenance organization (DHMO).

For more details on coverage, or to find an in-network dentist near you, visit the Delta Dental website or call Delta Dental customer service toll-free at (888) 818-7925 (TTY: 711), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT.

If you are an employee or retiree not enrolled in Medicare, you can sign up during next Summer Enrollment (in July 2020) or with a qualifying life event (QLE) for one of the dental insurance plans. 

If you are a retiree enrolled in Medicare, please contact ERS toll-free at (877) 275-4377 before September 1, 2019 to elect a dental insurance plan. Otherwise, you will have to wait until Fall Enrollment to sign up for dental insurance, and coverage will not start until January 1, 2019 

If you want to enroll in another dental discount plan, you can do so through the Discount Purchase Program starting September 1. For more information, please see Question 7 below.  

Starting September 1, 2019, state employees, retirees and their eligible dependents can sign up for a dental discount plan through the Discount Purchase Program^SM .

The Discount Purchase Program is now the source for dental discount plans. The Discount Purchase Program website is an online marketplace administered by a company called Beneplace. The Discount Purchase Program offers discounts on a variety of products and services—with no fees or membership requirements to join the program. 

At least two dental discount plans will be available through the Discount Purchase Program starting September 1: 

• Vital Savings by Aetna
• Careington International Corporation

Important note: Dental discount plans offered through the Discount Purchase Program could be different from the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan. ERS has no oversight of dental discount plans available through the Discount Purchase Program. Be sure to review the plan’s details. Participants will not be able to have the premium deducted from their paycheck or annuity, and will have to pay the monthly premium directly.​

There are other dental discount plans, offered outside the Discount Purchase Program, that members might want to consider. 

All employees and retirees who participate in the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) can enroll themselves and their eligible dependents in a dental discount plan through the Discount Purchase Program. 

Certain participants currently enrolled in the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan are not eligible to participate in the Discount Purchase Program and therefore can’t sign up for a dental discount plan through the program: 

• Survivors
• Former employees enrolled through COBRA 
• Former ERS Board members 

These participants can sign up for a GBP dental insurance plan during their next enrollment period or with a qualifying life event (QLE). They can also look for a dental discount plan outside the Discount Purchase Program. 

No. The State of Texas Dental Discount Plan will no longer exist after August 31, 2019.