Trump announces one-time $90 payments for more than 20 million Medicare enrollees

President Donald Trump announced that more than 20 million Medicare enrollees will receive one-time payments of about $90 to help offset Medicare Part B premiums.

Trump said the roughly $2 billion needed for the payments would come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which Congress funded to support improvements to Medicare’s fee-for-service program. He described the fund in a Truth Social post as a “pointless ‘Slush Fund.’” USA Today and MS NOW reported that it was unclear whether the administration has authority to use the fund for the payments.

According to the White House, most eligible recipients will receive a $90 direct deposit in early October. Those without direct-deposit information on file will be mailed checks at the address registered with Medicare. The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month, MS NOW reported.

The Medicare payments follow a separate administration initiative providing $500 checks to about 1 million people who enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage through federally administered exchanges and did not receive subsidies. The White House has described those payments as refunds for excessive fees and said both programs are intended to reduce healthcare costs.

Health policy experts quoted by CBS News said the $90 payment would cover only a limited share of seniors’ healthcare expenses.