President Donald Trump claimed $500 checks would soon be mailed to 1 million people in 30 states as a $500 million refund for alleged overcharges through the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange for health insurance.
Will Georgians be among those to receive a payment? Here's what we know:
How did Trump get money for the $500 ACA refund checks?
The White House said the Biden Administration collected "user fees" from health insurance companies that consumers paid for through higher premiums, instead of using the money to benefit them. Trump argued the premiums exceeded what was needed to run the exchange.
What states will receive Trump's $500 refund checks?
The excess fees would be refunded to Americans who didn't receive premium assistance under the Affordable Care Act in the 30 states that use the federal exchange, which does not include Georgia.
These
states include 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, and Wyoming.
When will people receive Trump's $500 refund checks?
The White House says it will send checks to eligible Americans beginning this month.
Is this the same as the $5,000 rebate check Trump promised?
No, it's not. Trump promised every adult American citizen $5,000 if Republicans win both the U.S. House and Senate while at the first-ever Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
In the past, Trump has talked about potential payouts with great enthusiasm, but his past two promises haven't panned out. In an interview with The New York Times, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research David Becker said it's ultimately up to voters whether they trust Trump to deliver.
"If I were a voter, I would be asking myself, why are you promising to do this in 2027?" he said. "You control both houses now. Why not deliver on this promise now?"
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Trump announced $500 checks, but Georgia won't get them. Here's why
