President Donald Trump announced that his administration will begin sending nearly $100 checks to more than 20 million seniors to help cover Medicare Part B premiums, saying the payments are part of an effort to lower health care costs.
Trump Announces Medicare Checks
On Friday, Trump announced the payments in a Truth Social post, saying the money will come from the Medicare Improvement Fund.
“I am pleased to announce that my Administration will, immediately, begin sending ‘Checks’ of nearly $100 to over 20 MILLION wonderful Seniors to help pay for their Medicare Part B premiums,” Trump wrote.
He described the Medicare Improvement Fund as a “pointless ‘Slush Fund’” and said his administration is using it, along with his “Most Favored Nations Deals,” to “substantially LOWER costs for our Seniors.”
Trump also said the Medicare payments are separate from refund checks being sent to 1 million Americans who he said were overcharged for Affordable Care Act plans.
The president also renewed his support for a proposed $5,000 “Trump Dividend,” saying it would be distributed to every U.S. citizen “if, and when, the Republicans win the Midterm Elections.”
Medicare Cost Relief
According to a White House fact sheet, the administration planned to begin issuing one-time $90 payments to more than 20 million Medicare Part B enrollees in early October.
Meanwhile, the standard Medicare Part B premium had risen to $202.90 per month in 2026.
Broader Cost-Cutting Efforts
Earlier this month, the Trump administration began sending $500 refund checks to nearly 1 million Affordable Care Act enrollees across 30 states, saying recipients had been overcharged under the Biden administration.
Last month, a Wall Street Journal survey found bipartisan support for policies to lower living costs, including caps on prescription drug and credit card costs.
In July, CMS announced it would end the Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration after 2026, potentially raising premiums for some seniors in 2027. The program provided about $3.6 billion in subsidies in 2026.
Trump Faces Economic Backlash
On Thursday, an Associated Press/NORC poll found that 65% of Americans blamed Trump’s policies for rising living costs, while 73% disapproved of his handling of economic issues.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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