Trump administration begins sending $500 ACA refunds to 950,000 people

The U.S. Treasury Department began mailing $500 one-time refund checks on Sept. 30, 2026, to more than 950,000 people in 30 states that use HealthCare.gov. Recipients receive letters signed by President Trump. The White House cites a $500 million fund of excess HealthCare.gov user fees. Nationwide ACA enrollment stands at 19.2 million; eligibility generally excludes those with premium subsidies, though some earning 100-400% of the federal poverty level without subsidies qualify. Texas is estimated at 139,000 eligible recipients and Florida at 127,900. Trump announced the refunds on Sept. 10, 2026, in a White House video during the Republican midterm convention, one day after proposing a $5,000 dividend for every adult if Republicans hold Congress. His letter states: "For years, the Biden administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov. That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now I'm returning it to you!" He said households were "massively overcharged" under "sleepy Joe Biden" and that the administration is "giving the money back to the people who were wrongly ripped off." The mailing itself is not in dispute. Contested is Trump's framing that enrollees were overcharged and ripped off; the payment is a one-time $500 check, not a permanent premium cut. States running their own exchanges are excluded. The refunds are separate from the $5,000 dividend proposal.