$500 ACA check is coming from Trump: Are you one of the Americans eligible?

“For years, the Biden administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov,” Trump said. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now I'm returning it to you.”

Nearly 1 million Americans across 30 states are beginning to receive $500 refund checks linked to Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans, with the Trump administration saying the payments return excess fees it claims were collected through the federal marketplace under the Biden administration. The Treasury Department began sending the payments on September 30, 2026, along with letters signed by President Donald Trump.

Why is Trump sending $500 ACA refund checks?

The refunds stem from user fees charged to insurers that sell plans through the federal ACA marketplace, HealthCare.gov.

The Trump administration says those fees were ultimately passed on to consumers through insurance premiums and that the federal government collected more money than was required to operate the exchange. It says the resulting surplus is now being returned to eligible consumers.

Trump's letter tells recipients that the Biden administration “overcharged” them to fund HealthCare.gov and says the money is now being returned.

The characterization of the fees as “overcharges” is the Trump administration's claim. The refunds are being issued from the surplus the administration says accumulated from the federal exchange's user fees.

Who is eligible for Trump’s $500 ACA refund?

The payments are aimed primarily at ACA enrollees who:

-Bought health insurance through the federal ACA marketplace, HealthCare.gov.

-Paid the full premium cost rather than receiving federal premium assistance.

-Live in one of the 30 states using the federal exchange.

-Were among the consumers identified by the administration as affected by the relevant exchange fees.

Most recipients are around 400% of the federal poverty level, according to the White House. That is roughly $64,000 for an individual or $132,000 for a family of four, based on the figures cited by the administration.

The refund is $500 per eligible person, meaning households with more than one qualifying enrollee could receive multiple payments.

Importantly, eligible people do not need to apply for the refund. The recipients have already been identified by the administration.

Which 30 states are getting the $500 ACA refund checks?

The payments are going to eligible consumers in these 30 states:

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

Wyoming

The White House says these states rely fully or partly on the federal exchange for their ACA marketplace operations.

Why aren't all 50 states included?

The remaining states operate their own ACA insurance marketplaces, meaning the federal government did not collect the relevant HealthCare.gov user fees from consumers in those states.

As a result, residents of those state-run exchanges are not part of the federal refund programme.

When will the $500 checks arrive?

The Treasury Department began distributing the refunds on September 30. Recipients are also receiving letters signed by Trump explaining the payment. Nearly 1 million people are expected to receive the $500 refunds.

"For years, the Biden administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov," Trump said. "That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now I'm returning it to you." "You have paid into this flawed System, and now you are finally getting something back," Trump says.

Is the $500 ACA refund the same as Trump’s proposed $5,000 payment?

No. The two are separate.

The $500 payment is specifically linked to ACA marketplace fees and is limited to eligible consumers in the 30 states covered by the federal exchange.

Trump has separately proposed a $5,000 payment to Americans, but that proposal is conditional on Republicans retaining control of Congress after the November midterm elections and is not connected to the ACA refund programme.