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Home > Employees > Programs

  • Tobacco Users

    Under state law effective January 1, 2012, tobacco users enrolled in a state health plan will pay higher premiums for their health insurance coverage. Common questions about the program (PDF). If you don’t use tobacco and don’t cover family members who use tobacco, you don’t need to do anything; your premiums won’t increase. 

    If you have witnessed someone insured through the GBP, including a dependent, using a tobacco product five or more times within the past three consecutive months, please report this information to ERS.

  • Icon Physician’s Affidavit Form
    Tobacco Users who are diagnosed by their physician as having a health factor that prevents them from discontinuing use of Tobacco Products are required to submit this affidavit to ERS to avoid the premium surcharge associated with tobacco use.
  • Icon Certify tobacco use

    Use your online account to certify tobacco use by following these steps.

    Icon Tobacco Cessation Q&A

    Common questions about the higher premiums for tobacco users starting January 1, 2012.

    Icon Non-Tobacco User Affidavit Form

    If you quit using tobacco, or if someone you're covering quits, complete this affidavit attesting to the new tobacco-free status.
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  • Tobacco User Premium

     If you or a covered family member uses tobacco, you must certify as a tobacco user. You will pay $30, $60, or $90 more each month in additional health insurance premiums, depending on how many tobacco users you cover. 

    Tobacco users  Monthly fee 
    Member only $30
    Spouse only $30
    Child* only $30
    Member + spouse $60
    Member + child* $60
    Spouse + child* $60
    Member + spouse + child* (Family) $90
    *The charge for a child is the same regardless of how many children in the household use tobacco. 

    Physician's statement on tobacco use

    If you need to send ERS a physician’s statement or affidavit stating that you (or your dependent) cannot stop using tobacco products, the information in that statement or affidavit is considered Protected Health Information (PHI) and you should not give it to your benefits coordinator to send to ERS for you. You can fax, mail, send via overnight delivery, or deliver the statement or affidavit to ERS in person.

    • Fax: Write “Tobacco Cessation Program” on the fax cover sheet and fax it to (512) 867-3380.
    • Mail: ERS, Attention Tobacco Cessation Program, P.O. Box 13207, Austin, TX 78711-3207
    • Overnight Delivery: ERS, 200 E 18th Street, Austin, TX 78701
    • In person: There is a secure drop box on the left side of the front door that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Quit tobacco image

  • Free services to help you quit tobacco

    You can get help to quit tobacco so you don’t have to pay more for health insurance. HealthSelect and the HMOs that participate in the State of Texas health plan offer tobacco cessation programs:

    Certain prescription tobacco cessation drugs—Zyban, its generic Bupropion, and Chantix—are now covered.

    Benefits of quitting

     If you quit using tobacco, you will:

    • Improve your health;
    • Benefit from not having to pay the higher tobacco premium fee; and
    • Save money previously spent on tobacco products.