White House highlights healthcare payments in Trump’s midterm pitch

In an election-day round-up of favourable campaign coverage, the White House quoted a Daily Wire account of Donald Trump promoting prescription drug discounts and direct payments. It listed $500 Obamacare refunds and $90 Medicare payments among his administration’s initiatives.

The round-up followed a busy campaign period in which Trump had cancelled planned in-person events in Kansas and Iowa, with Republicans saying he would join rallies by phone instead.

The $90 payment is a one-off rebate for eligible people enrolled in the original version of Medicare Part B, the US health insurance programme that covers services including doctor visits. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimated that 20.8 million people would qualify. CBS News reported in October that some recipients had received payments.

Medicare Advantage members are excluded. CBS also reported that people receiving Medicaid premium assistance and those paying income-related premium supplements do not qualify. The federal agency’s guidance uses “or” when describing those last two conditions; beneficiaries can check their eligibility with Medicare on 1-800-633-4227.

CBS estimated that about 40 million of the 62.9 million people enrolled in Part B were ineligible. The $90 rebate is also less than half the standard monthly Part B premium of $202.90 in 2026.

The separate $500 payment was announced in September for nearly one million people in 30 states who buy coverage through the federal Obamacare marketplace without premium assistance. The White House said cheques would begin going out in October; the number sent is unclear.

The administration says the money comes from a surplus of marketplace fees, which it attributes to overcharging under Joe Biden’s administration.