President Donald Trump has announced that Trump Medicare checks worth $90 (£68.13) will go to more than 20 million seniors, in a Truth Social post published late on Friday, 2 October.
He said the money would help pay Medicare Part B premiums and come from the Medicare Improvement Fund. Nothing is confirmed yet beyond the White House's own account, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt.
For context, the president's post said 'nearly $100,' but a White House fact sheet puts the figure at $90. The administration says most eligible seniors will get a direct deposit in early October. Those without direct deposit will receive a cheque at the address registered with Medicare.
'My Administration will, immediately, begin sending 'Checks' of nearly $100 to over 20 MILLION wonderful Seniors to help pay for their Medicare Part B premiums,' Trump wrote. He described the fund as 'a pointless 'Slush Fund' that has only been used by Dumocrats in Congress to pay for the Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.'
Who Gets the Trump Medicare Checks
Medicare Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient treatment and preventive tests. The Medicare Improvement Fund was established in 2008 to enhance the original Medicare programme, according to the reporting that accompanied the announcement.
The White House has not said, how eligibility will be decided beyond 'most eligible seniors.' Nor has it explained how a payment of this size would be processed so quickly.
Trump also tied the payments to his attacks on his predecessor. He wrote that he had pledged to protect Medicare and Social Security, which he said were on the verge of 'RUIN by Joe Biden.' That is his claim, and the post offered no evidence for it.
The president said the seniors' payments are separate from the 'refund' cheques going to people who bought Affordable Care Act plans. The White House has described those as $500 payments to nearly one million Americans it says were overcharged, at a cost of nearly $500 million (£378.49 million).
Midterms Loom Over the Payments
The timing is hard to miss. The post and fact sheet appeared as Trump returned to Washington from a midterm rally in Mobile, Alabama, with the elections barely a month away.
Trump is not on the ballot, but Republicans are expected to face a tough fight. Polls cited in the reporting show voters feel his economic policies have not eased the cost of living. The war with Iran has also become increasingly unpopular, and it has pushed up petrol and energy prices.
Republicans hold slim majorities in both the House and the Senate. Even in states long dominated by the GOP, such as Alabama, the party faces stronger challenges than usual.
Trump said delivering the seniors' cheques should convince voters that his promised $5,000 'Trump Dividend' would follow if Republicans win. At the end of his post, he repeated that pledge, writing that it would come 'if and when the Republicans win the Midterm Elections!'
Critics have called that $5,000 promise a bribe. The proposal has drawn bipartisan criticism, although several congressional Republicans have voiced support.
Why the Trump Medicare Checks Raise Questions
The biggest unanswered question is legal. It is unclear whether the White House has the authority to divert money from the Medicare Improvement Fund in the way Trump describes. USA Today reported that it had asked the administration for details, and no answer has been published.
Trump's record on cash promises is mixed. A USA Today review found that about 1.45 million US service members received his $1,776 (£1,344.39) 'warrior dividend' cheques. Americans did not receive the $2,000 (£1,513.95) tariff dividend he floated, nor payments from Department of Government Efficiency savings, which were estimated at up to $5,000 (£3,784.87).
So the pattern is a patchy one. Some promises landed, plenty did not, and the gap between a Truth Social post and money in a bank account can be wild.
Seniors will not have to wait long to find out. Early October is days away, and a deposit either appears or it does not.
There was no verified reaction from seniors, Democratic lawmakers or Medicare officials in the material available. IBTimes UK cannot independently verify these claims, so take everything lightly until payments arrive or the White House explains the legal basis.
