President Donald Trump said his administration would send nearly $100 in checks to more than 20 million adults to pay for their Medicare Part B benefits.
The plan, which would cost nearly $2 billion dollars, follows a slate of recent promises from Trump to send out individual payments to American voters in hopes of sparking voter enthusiasm for his administration ahead of the midterms. It’s unclear what authority the White House would use to go through with these plans without congressional approval.
“You will get your money almost immediately, and everything we do, we’re looking out for America’s people and America’s seniors,” Trump said in a video Saturday morning.
A fact sheet posted Saturday on the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services website says eligible beneficiaries will receive one $90 check or direct deposit “on or around” Oct. 8, followed by correspondence from the president in mid-October. The government’s “rebate” would cover less than half of the standard Part B monthly premium of $202.90 for those who make less than $109,000.
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Not all of the estimated 64 million elderly Medicare enrollees qualify, including those on Medicare Advantage plans that route through private insurers.
“The best way to improve Medicare is to put healthcare dollars back where they belong — in the hands of our Medicare beneficiaries — and make coverage more affordable,” the CMS site says.
The president’s post late Friday announcing the plan said the checks would come from the Medicare Improvement Fund. The new fiscal year began Oct. 1, meaning the $2 billion funding pool — which Trump called a “pointless ‘Slush Fund’” — is now available for use, though it is unclear whether the White House can legally use it for rebates.
Trump’s approval ratings have hit record lows in the weeks before the midterms, especially as Americans blame the president for facing bleak economic outlooks. Following his COVID-19 era pandemic checks, Trump has repeatedly tried to revitalize his popularity by pivoting to affordability messaging and promising additional “rebates” or “dividends” — including his unpopular proposal to give $5,000 to American voters should they vote for Republicans in the midterms, a plan that could cost over $1.2 trillion.
The president doubled down on the $5,000 dividends in a two-minute video posted Saturday, saying, “I look forward to signing those checks.”
“If the Democrats win, you will have an economic depression, much like 1929. If the Republicans win, you will each have $5,000 in your pocket,” Trump said.
Trump also posted videos urging Republicans to “vote early, vote by mail or vote in-person on Election Day” to “swamp” Democrats with turnout, as well as a specific push for Pennsylvania voters.
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