The payments are the latest government-funded cash giveaway announced by Trump ahead of the November midterm elections. US President Donald Trump has announced plans to send one-time payments of $90 to more than 20 million senior citizens in October.
Trump has increasingly announced direct cash payments as Americans worry about high living costs and affordability. The payments will go to most senior citizens enrolled in Medicare Part B , which helps cover doctor visits, outpatient care and other medical services. Seniors whose healthcare premiums are already paid by Medicaid will not qualify for the payments. These concerns could hurt Trump and Republicans as they try to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
The payments will reach eligible seniors across all 50 US states, according to a White House breakdown reviewed by USA Today. The administration has also started sending $500 checks to nearly 1 million Americans across 30 states.
People who pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount will also be excluded, the White House said. The payments are intended for people whom the administration says were overcharged fees through the federal Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace. Each check includes a letter signed by Trump informing the recipient about the payment, according to USA Today.
Critics have called the proposal an attempt to win votes through financial incentives. Trump has also promised to distribute $5,000 dividend payments to all American adults if Republicans retain control of Congress after the November midterm elections. Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the proposed payments in a video posted on October 3.
California will receive the highest number of payments, with around 1.524 million seniors expected to qualify. Texas comes second with 1.432 million payments, followed by Florida with 1.398 million, New York with 1.018 million and Pennsylvania with 905,000, according to the White House data. The Trump administration plans to use money from the $2 billion Medicare Improvement Fund to pay for the checks. Congress created the fund in 2008 to improve Medicare services.
Trump called it a “pointless ‘Slush Fund’” in a post on Truth Social announcing the payments. The White House said the fund had never been used.
