Trump Promises $90 Checks to 20 Million Seniors for Medicare Premiums

President Donald Trump announced late on Friday that more than 20 million American seniors will receive $90 checks from his administration to help cover their Medicare Part B premiums.

The payments, which the president described on his Truth Social platform as “nearly $100” checks, will begin immediately, according to Trump. He said the money will be drawn from the Medicare Improvement Fund, a programme created in 2008 that he dismissed as a “pointless ‘Slush Fund'” previously used by Democrats in Congress.

The White House says the one-time payments will go to eligible Medicare Part B enrollees, with some excluded — including those whose premiums are already covered by Medicaid or who pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount, according to the New York Post.

It is not yet clear whether the White House has the legal authority to redirect the fund’s money in the way the president described. USA Today reported that the administration has not yet answered questions on the matter.

The pledge is the latest in a string of cash offers the president has made ahead of the midterm elections, in which Trump himself is not on the ballot but Republicans are bracing for a difficult fight. Earlier this week, administration officials said they would send $500 checks to nearly one million Americans they say were overcharged through the Affordable Care Act’s federal exchange, according to USA Today.

In the same announcement, Trump repeated his earlier pledge of $5,000 for every American adult if Republicans win the midterms — a promise critics have called a bribe.

Sources

• USA Today — Trump promises ‘nearly $100’ to 20M seniors in latest cash giveaway
• New York Post — Trump announces $90 checks for 20 million ‘wonderful seniors’ to help cover Medicare premiums