Employees Retirement System of Texas to Offer New Dental Discount Plan Option on September 1.

Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) has partnered with Careington International Corporation to offer a first-of-its-kind dental discount plan option to State of Texas employees, retirees and their dependents, effective September 1, 2014.

Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) has partnered with Texas-based Careington International Corporation to offer a first-of-its-kind dental discount plan option to State of Texas employees, retirees and their dependents, effective September 1, 2014.

The State of Texas Dental Discount Plan is an affordable, new dental discount program designed to help plan participants significantly reduce dental costs. The dental discount plan is not dental insurance. It's a discount program that will help plan participants save from 20% to 60% on routine, preventive, specialty, and even cosmetic dental services.

Under the plan, Careington network dentists have agreed to accept a discounted fee from participants for dental treatment. Features of the plan include affordable monthly rates, no waiting to use the plan and unlimited use, significant savings on care, and access to general dentists and specialists across Texas and throughout the U.S. To use the plan, participants will simply schedule an appointment with a participating dentist, show their ID to office staff, and pay a reduced fee for dental treatment at the point of service.

The State of Texas Dental Discount Plan website will be launched today at www.txdentaldiscount.com. Enrollment will be included in the ERS Annual Enrollment which starts June 30 and ends August 1. Plan participants may begin using the State of Texas Dental Discount Plan on September 1.

"We are excited about the launch of the website and ready to be an active part of the Annual Enrollment process." Careington CEO Barbara Williams said, "Careington is truly honored to be selected by the State of Texas to offer this valuable dental savings option to State of Texas employees and their families. Careington has helped millions of consumers save on dental care for more than 30 years, and it is with great pride that we are able to work with ERS to deliver this affordable option to program members across our home state. Our entire company is motivated to help State of Texas Dental Discount Plan members access affordable dental care, experience superior service, and save money."

Careington was awarded the third-party administrator contract by the ERS Board of Trustees in December 2013 for a four-year term beginning September 1, 2014, through August 31, 2018. Previously, the GBP has not included a dental discount plan among its offerings.
Please visit www.txdentaldiscount.com to learn more.

About Careington International Corporation
Since 1979, Careington International Corporation has provided affordable consumer savings plans to more than nine million members nationwide. As an established industry leader dedicated to improving individual health and well-being, Careington's dental, health and wellness products are designed to deliver significant savings to consumers. For more information on Careington's money-saving solutions, call (800) 441-0380 or visit www.careington.com.

About ERS
ERS is a service-oriented trust agency established in 1947 by the constitution and laws of the State of Texas providing retirement and other benefit programs for state employees, retirees and their dependents. ERS administers retirement, health and other insurance benefits, TexFlex, a tax-savings flexible benefit program and 401(k) and 457 investment accounts as part of the Texa$aver Program. We also manage and invest the ERS Trust for the sole benefit of retirement system members. For more information, visit www.ers.state.tx.us.