dpMillions of Medicare beneficiaries will receive a $90 payment from the Social Security Administration this week as part of an effort to lower health care costs for older Americans.
President Trump announced on Oct. 2 that the administration would send a one-time payment to around one-third of people enrolled in Medicare Part B, which covers doctors’ visits, outpatient care and preventive screenings.
In a White House statement, the Trump administration said the “premium rebates” were intended to help “enrollees pay for their Medicare Part B premiums.” The payments will be issued automatically to 20.8 million qualified Medicare beneficiaries starting this week.
Most enrollees will receive a direct deposit for $90 on or around Oct. 8. Paper checks will be sent to some beneficiaries later this month.
The rebate comes from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which was set up by Congress in 2008 to make improvements to Medicare Parts A and B. The $90 payment will cover less than half of the standard monthly Part B premium, which is $202.90 for 2026, up from $185 in 2025.
Some have warned that the payments do not go far enough to cover increasing Medicare expenses. Juliette Cubanski, director of Medicare policy at KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization, said Part B annual premiums are expected to rise by $79 in 2027, which would consume “most of the $90 payment.” The KFF added that the Medicare Improvement Fund would be drained by the measure.
Who gets the payment, and who doesn’t?
The payments will be sent to 20.8 million Americans who are covered by original Medicare Part B, according to a fact sheet released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). To qualify, beneficiaries must:
-
Not receive premium assistance from Medicaid, and
-
Are not higher earners who pay a surcharge on top of the standard premium.
-
Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage are also not eligible.
Around 40 million Part B enrollees, or roughly two-thirds of the total, will not receive the payment. The biggest group left out is the 35.2 million people on Medicare Advantage, the private-plan alternative to traditional Medicare.
Those eligible for the payment will receive the rebate via direct deposit from the Social Security Administration, CMS says. Those without direct deposit will receive a check at the mailing address Medicare has on file.
Those who think they qualify for the payments but are unsure can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to check their eligibility for the premium rebate, according to CMS guidance.
Beneficiaries who want to check the status of their payment should call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 starting Oct. 15.
