En esta noticia
President Donald Trump renewed his pledge of $5,000 checks for adult U.S. citizens if Republicans win the Nov. 3 midterms. Two smaller payments are already going out: $90 to about 20.8 million Medicare enrollees and $500 to about 950,000 Obamacare customers.
The White House announced the Medicare payment Oct. 2. Trump revived the $5,000 promise a day later in a video on Truth Social, his social media platform. The $500 refunds, announced Sept. 10, started going out Sept. 30.
If Republicans win the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 Midterm Elections, I’m going to give all adult citizens in the United States of America, $5,000! Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to signing those checks! https://t.co/YOkESiUBrc
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2026
Here’s how the three payments compare.
Who gets the $90 Medicare payment from Donald Trump?
The payment is limited to about 20.8 million people in Original Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits and outpatient care, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Recipients must live in the U.S.
Three groups are left out. The first is people in Medicare Advantage, the private-plan alternative to Original Medicare. The second is people whose premiums are paid by Medicaid. The third is higher-income enrollees who pay an extra surcharge on their premium.
Most recipients get the $90 by direct deposit from Social Security on or around Oct. 8, and others will get a Treasury check later in October. To check eligibility, call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). For payment status, call Social Security at 800-772-1213 starting Oct. 15.
The money comes from the Medicare Improvement Fund, a $2 billion reserve Congress set up in 2008. The administration says it’s the first time the fund has been used to pay enrollees directly.
Who gets the $500 Obamacare refund?
The refund goes to about 950,000 people who paid full price for 2026 coverage on HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace created under the Affordable Care Act. They didn’t receive premium tax credits, the subsidies that lower monthly costs for most marketplace customers.
The refund arrives as a paper check mailed to the recipient’s home address, and there’s nothing to apply for.
The White House calls it the Working Families Obamacare Refund. It says the recipients were overcharged under the Biden administration.
Will Donald Trump’s $5,000 checks actually go out?
Only if two things happen. Republicans would need to keep both the House and the Senate. Then Congress would have to approve the payments, because it controls federal spending.
Trump has said the plan would cost around $1 trillion and would be paid for with tariff revenue and economic growth. The Supreme Court struck down his reciprocal tariffs in February.
Lawmakers from both parties have pushed back. Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., warned the payments could push interest rates up. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., called the plan a “political bribe.”
There is no application or payment date for the $5,000 checks. Earlier pledges never produced checks either, including a $5,000 “DOGE dividend” in 2025 and a $2,000 tariff payment.