More than 20 million Medicare beneficiaries were eligible for one-time $90 federal payments in October, according to a Fox Business report published Oct. 8 that cited the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). President Donald Trump announced the initiative on Oct. 2, the report said.
The payments were intended to help cover Medicare Part B premiums, which apply to services such as doctor visits and outpatient care. CMS set the standard monthly Part B premium at $202.90 for 2026, up from $185 in 2025. The $90 payment does not reduce premiums on an ongoing basis.
The report said most eligible recipients were expected to receive the money by direct deposit on or around Oct. 8. Beneficiaries without direct deposit were expected to receive Treasury checks later in October. According to the report, the payment would be identified as a Medicare Improvement Fund Payment to offset the October premium.
Eligibility was described as covering most U.S. residents enrolled in Original Medicare Part B. The report said people whose premiums are paid by Medicaid, beneficiaries paying an income-related monthly adjustment amount, and Medicare Advantage enrollees were excluded. It listed Medicare’s phone line as a resource for questions about eligibility and said payment-status inquiries could be made through the Social Security Administration beginning Oct. 15.
The money is drawn from the Medicare Improvement Fund, established by Congress in 2008. The report said the White House stated that Congress allocated $2 billion to the fund and that this was its first use for direct payments to beneficiaries. The payments are separate from regular Social Security benefits and are not recurring.
