Trump sends $500 Obamacare refund checks to nearly a million Americans weeks before midterms

From the Newshound archive · first published 1 October 2026.

The Treasury Department has begun sending checks to more than 950,000 Americans across 30 states, each accompanied by a letter bearing President Donald Trump's signature. Trump has alleged that the Biden administration overcharged consumers to cover HealthCare.gov operating costs and held onto the resulting surplus. The payments arrive ahead of the November midterm elections, at which cost of living and healthcare affordability are expected to rank among the defining issues.