Trump is sending ACA and Medicare checks. Are they enough to cover rising healthcare costs?

October 5, 2026 / 3:59 PM EDT / CBS News

President Trump is sending checks to millions of Medicare and Affordable Care Act enrollees, with the White House describing the efforts as helping to "lower costs" for seniors and families. But experts say the payments may do little to offset rapidly rising healthcare expenses.

On Friday, Mr. Trump announced on Truth Social that his administration this month will send checks of about $90 to more than 20 million Medicare participants in the program's Part B plans.

That announcement followed the White House's Sept. 10 statement that $500 checks would be sent to about 1 million people who enrolled in an ACA plan this year through federal exchanges administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The payments, described as refunds for overcharges, are for people who didn't receive ACA insurance subsidies.

"President Trump is delivering on his promises to lower costs for American patients by putting them first and taking on the special interests that have used the status quo in Washington to raise healthcare costs for Americans," the White House said in an Oct. 2 statement about the Medicare checks.

While the payments will help defray some of…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/