The letters accompanying Trump’s gimmicky ACA refund checks makes them even more cynical

Nearly a million Americans are starting to receive $500 checks from President Donald Trump, paid from a government fund that insurers contribute to for running the Affordable Care Act marketplace. MS NOW opinion writer Zeeshan Aleem argues the accompanying letter misleads recipients. It says the Biden administration overcharged them and that Trump is giving the money back. The checks go only to people who buy coverage without subsidies.

According to Aleem, the surplus did predate Trump's second term, but nothing shows Biden mismanaged it. Cynthia Cox, a vice president at the research nonprofit KFF, told The Associated Press the money may have come from fees gathered during Trump's first term, when his administration collected more from insurers than it spent. KFF estimates about $1 billion went unspent. Aleem adds that Trump sharply cut spending on efforts to make the marketplace more accessible in that period.

Aleem also faults the checks for distracting from Republicans' refusal last year to extend ACA subsidies. Many people eligible for the payments have seen premiums climb by thousands of dollars, so $500 often falls short of a single month's added cost.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →