$500 Obamacare Rebate Checks Are Being Sent to 30 States: Here’s Who’s Eligible and How to Get Yours

The money comes from “user fees” that insurers selling plans on HealthCare.gov pay to keep the federal marketplace operating. These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through premiums. Trump claims that the Biden administration set these fees higher than necessary and accumulated a surplus, and that the White House views the controls as a return of that surplus.

The reimbursement recipients received a letter from Trump that said, “For years, the Biden administration has charged you too much to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov,” according to multiple media outlets that obtained the letter. “This money belongs to hardworking Americans, not the government, and now I’m giving it back to you!” »

For 2026, the federal exchange fee has been set at 2.5% of monthly premiums; the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has since lowered it to 1.9% for 2027. Timing is important. Enhanced premium tax credits passed by Congress during the pandemic expired at the end of 2025, and health policy research group KFF estimated that subsidized enrollees who stayed on the same plan would see their annual premiums more than double, from $888 to $1,904. Marketplace listings fell in every state except New Mexico this year, according to KFF.

Who is eligible for Obamacare rebate checks?

Reimbursement is limited. You are only eligible if you purchased 2026 coverage through HealthCare.gov and did not receive a premium tax credit. In other words, you had to have paid a high price.

Most recipients earn more than 400% of the federal poverty level, although an administration official told CNBC that “some people” between 100% and 400% will also receive a check. CNN reported that the White House set this year’s grant threshold at about $62,600 for an individual and $128,600 for a family of four.

The 30 states covered, according to the White House, are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

If you live in one of the 20 states or Washington, D.C., that operate their own exchanges, you’re out of luck even if you paid full price. An administration official said ABC News that’s because the federal government hasn’t collected user fees in those states.

How do I claim an Obamacare rebate check?

You can’t. There is no application, claim form or deadline. The administration says it has already identified eligible recipients and payments are automatically made by paper check or direct deposit, accompanied by a letter signed by Trump. Households with more than one eligible person can receive multiple $500 payments, the official said. CNBC.

The White House had initially said the checks would begin in October, but the administration official said CNBC the first batch was released this Wednesday. It is not yet known how long delivery will take.

What do I need to know about payment?

This is not the same as a reduction in the medical claims rate. Under the ACA’s 80/20 rule, insurers that spend less than 80% of their premium revenue on care must refund the difference — and those rebates come from your insurer, not the Treasury. In theory, you could receive both.

Reimbursements have been met with skepticism. ABC News noted that Trump has provided no evidence that the Biden administration has been sitting on unused surplus funds, and the Center for American Progress (CAP), a left-leaning think tank, has argued that a $500 check would not solve the “health premium crisis.”

“Against an average annual increase of $780 in premiums and a $1,027 increase in deductibles, spread across the 19.2 million enrollees in the market, President Trump promised a one-time check of $500 for nearly a million enrollees with the highest incomes,” according to CAP. “Over 10 years, that’s a $500 million solution to a $350 billion problem.” The Hill noted that the checks are coming just weeks before the November midterm elections, with about 19.2 million people enrolled in ACA plans, meaning fewer than 1 in 20 people will qualify.

For this article, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor checked the information for accuracy before publishing it.