Who’s getting the $90 Medicare Improvement Fund rebate check? Eligibility and when you’ll get it
More than 20 million people are eligible, but Medicare Advantage members and several other groups are excluded
Millions of Americans are receiving an unfamiliar $90 deposit this week, and the payment isn't a new Social Security benefit.
It's a one-time Medicare Improvement Fund rebate tied to Part B coverage, and most eligible beneficiaries are expected to receive it automatically around October 8.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says 20.8 million people qualify for the payment. That is roughly one-third of Medicare Part B’s approximately 62.9 million enrollees, leaving about 40 million people outside the program.
The rebate comes as Medicare costs continue to rise, with Part B premiums increasing by more than $200 annually in 2026 and projected to climb again in 2027.
Who qualifies for $90 Medicare rebate?
Eligibility is limited to people enrolled in Original Medicare Part B who live in the United States and meet two additional conditions.
They cannot be receiving Medicaid assistance to help pay their Medicare premiums, and they cannot be paying an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount , or IRMAA. Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage don't qualify.
That means the excluded groups include Medicare Advantage members , higher-income beneficiaries who pay income-related premiums, people receiving Medicaid premium assistance and beneficiaries who do not live in the United States.
Juliette Cubanski , vice president and director of the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, said the income restriction reflects the administration’s view that wealthier beneficiaries may be better positioned to handle higher costs.
“People who are paying the income-related premium have higher incomes to begin with, so the thinking is that they may be better able to absorb higher costs and wouldn’t benefit as much from the $90 payment as people with lower incomes,” Cubanski told CBS News.
When will $90 payment arrive?
Most eligible beneficiaries will receive the money by direct deposit from the Social Security Administration on or around October 8.
People who don't receive their benefits by direct deposit will instead get a paper check from the U.S. Department of the Treasury later in October.
That check will include the message: “Medicare Improvement Fund Payment; $90 Payment to Offset October Premium.”
CMS has said most people don't need to apply or take any action to receive the money. Beneficiaries who are unsure whether they qualify can call 1-800-MEDICARE at 1-800-633-4227.
Anyone who believes they are eligible but has not received the payment can contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 beginning October 15 to check its status.
The rebate is small compared with the broader rise in Medicare costs, but for those who qualify, it should arrive automatically.
The most important distinction is that the payment is aimed at eligible Original Medicare Part B beneficiaries, not everyone enrolled in Medicare.
