The Trump administration on Wednesday started sending $500 refunds to Affordable Care Act enrollees it says were overcharged to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov.
An administration official told CNBC the Treasury Department is releasing the checks and direct deposits to more than 950,000 Americans in 30 states. Families with more than one "affected person" will receive multiple $500 payments.
Recipients also get a letter dated Sept. 30 from the president, mailed starting Thursday. "For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov," it reads, framing the refund as a way to lower the cost of healthcare.
About 19.2 million people are enrolled in ACA marketplace plans as of February, so most enrollees will see nothing. Eligibility is tied to the federal exchange in the 30 states that use it, per the White House fact sheet.
The timing lands just over a month before the midterms, after enhanced ACA premium subsidies lapsed at the end of 2025 and premiums jumped for millions. Health policy professor Jonathan Oberlander told CNBC the move is "less about health policy and much more about the 2026 Congressional elections."