• All medical premium rates are pending approval by the HCDE Board of Trustees on July 30. If approved, all rates take effect on Sept. 1.

What's New in 2025–2026

  • Important updates to dental and vision plans

    Dental and vision coverage will change this year, and some plans will see rate increases. Since HCDE is switching vendors, the affected plan(s) may not roll over, and employees may need to re-enroll or risk not having the necessary coverage. All other insurance selections will automatically roll over (excluding FSA elections), including any premium increases.

    Employees are also recommended to log in to BenefitSolver to review their current elections, check that dependents are enrolled correctly, ensure demographic information is current, and review any changes to the plans, vendors, or premium rates.

    Download 2025-2026 Benefits Rate Sheet

Dental coverage switches from MetLife to Cigna

  • Human Resources strives to ensure employees maintain the best insurance rates annually. Due to a significant increase in MetLife dental offerings, HCDE will switch carriers to Cigna.

    Depending on the plan you select, HMO premiums will increase by $0.20-$0.60 monthly. PPO low and high plan rates will not change for 2025-2026.

Vision insurance changes under new MetLife plan

  • HCDE's vision plan through MetLife will switch from the VSP to the Superior plan. The change will result in a $1-$2 increase in premiums for employee-only or employee-and-family plans.

    The Superior Vision plan includes:

    • Two allowances of $130 and an extra $25 at select providers, which can be mixed and matched for glasses or contacts
    • Up to 30% off Lasik pricing
    • Savings up to 40% off the national average prices for brand-name hearing aids

Choose the right medical plan for you

  • Medical plans are offered through TRS. From in- and out-of-network options to comprehensive prescription drug coverage and special health and wellness programs, TRS-ActiveCare has been designed to meet employees' needs flexibly. 

    View Medical Plans

    Tips for Choosing Health Plans

We're Here to Help

Benefits Information Video Library

  • Harris County Department of Education and First Financial are excited to provide you with a custom website filled with information about your benefits. Visit the Employee Benefits Center to see current benefit options for your employer, as well as find claims, important phone numbers, and enrollment information. 

    There’s no need to register for site access. Click the link below, and you will be directed to your Employee Benefits Center. 

    Visit Employee Benefits Center

Enroll Online

  • To begin online enrollment, visit https://www.hcde-texas.org/benefitsolver and log in with your BenefitSolver username and password.

    If you have forgotten your username or password, click the "Trouble logging in?" link. The company key is hcde (case-sensitive).

    If this is your first time logging into BenefitSolver, click Register to get started. The site will request your social security number, date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy), and company key (hcde), which is case-sensitive. The site will ask you to create your username (8 characters or longer) and password (8 characters or longer) and have a combination of letters and numbers. 

    Enroll/Make Changes to Benefits

Get Help With Enrollment by Phone

  • Discuss your benefits over the phone by calling 855-523-8422, option 3, to be connected to a First Financial representative. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (local time) Monday through Friday. There is an option to leave a voice message for a representative to call you back. Phone calls will be returned as soon as possible or the next business day if it is after hours. 

Sign Up In-Person

  • Human Resources staff and representatives from First Financial will be available on-site to assist HCDE staff and address questions regarding benefits.

    Visit The Portal for upcoming in-person benefits open enrollment help sessions.

    View Benefits Calendar