The government is sending a one-time $90 payment to more than 20 million Social Security recipients to help with their Medicare Part B coverage premiums, President Donald Trump announced in a statement.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65-years-old or older, and for younger people with long-term disabilities or end-stage renal disease, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Of the over 70 million people enrolled in Medicare, 63 million Americans are currently enrolled in Part B, which covers non-emergency general and preventative care. Of those enrolled in Part B, only about one-third qualify for the “premium rebate.”
Those whose premiums are already paid by Medicaid, or who pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, are not eligible for the rebate, according to the White House.
For those who are eligible, payments start arriving tomorrow, Thursday, October 8, either by direct deposit or via a check in the mail from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
As some critics have pointed out, the money is not a true rebate, and comes out of the Medicare Improvement Fund, established in 2008 by Congress, to be used as flexible spending for the program.
The Medicare checks are not the first so-called “rebate” to come from the Trump Administration ahead of this year’s hotly contested nationwide midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3.
They follow $500 “refund” checks sent to nearly 1 million Obamacare enrollees, who the administration claim were overcharged by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) when signing up for health insurance in these 30 states.
Trump has also pledged to send every American adult $5,000—which only Congress has the authority to do—if his party, the Republicans, retain control of the House and Senate in the midterms. The statements come at a time when Trump’s popularity is at a record low.
How can I find out if I, or my loved one, is eligible for a Medicare premium rebate?
Seniors can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to check on their eligibility for the premium rebate.
Beneficiaries who want to check on the status of their payment should call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.