White House Promises $500 Rebate Checks to 1 Million ACA Enrollees
The White House says $500 rebate checks will go to about 1 million ACA enrollees in 30 states, though funding and congressional approval remain unclear.
The Trump administration has said it will send $500 rebate checks to roughly one million people covered through the Affordable Care Act exchange across 30 states, claiming they were overcharged on exchange fees during the previous administration.
In a recorded address posted to the White House account on X on Thursday, President Donald Trump said the payments would begin within weeks. "The relief begins with refunding everyone who was overcharged and the rebates are going out in just a few weeks," he said.
A White House fact sheet accompanying the announcement alleged that the Biden administration had built up a surplus of funds that was not used to benefit the Americans who paid higher premiums.
It remains unclear where the money for the rebates would come from, or whether Congress would need to approve the disbursement.
The announcement follows a pledge by Trump on Wednesday to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans hold on to both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Affordability has emerged as a central concern for voters ahead of November.
The rebate promise also comes as ACA insurance prices have climbed sharply for many people during Trump's second term. His administration opposed extending COVID-era subsidies that had helped offset health insurance costs for most enrollees under Biden. After the Republican-led Congress allowed the subsidies to lapse this year, premiums doubled or tripled for many enrollees, pushing millions to downgrade their plans or leave the programme altogether.
About 19 million people receive insurance through the ACA exchange.
Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not respond to requests for comment, and a White House official referred back to the fact sheet.