No $500 ACA Trump Checks for Washington Residents? What’s the Story
Washington Residents Excluded From $500 ACA Refund Checks
Many Washingtonians are wondering when they will begin receiving $500 refund checks issued to people who enrolled in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage program.
These refunds only apply to customers who enrolled in a health plan through a federal exchange. According to information listed on WhiteHouse.gov, funding for the rebates come from 'user fees' that were passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums." The White House administration said it plans to issue "refunds of $500 per person to nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states" beginning in October.
This does not apply if you enrolled through a health plan through Washington Healthplanfinder, such as Apple Health or Cascade. Currently, there are only 30 states who use it and Washington is not one of them.
Therefore, no residents in Washington will be receiving the $500 refund checks. There are some residents in neighboring Oregon who do qualify because the state uses the federal health plan exchange.
Protect Yourself Against Scams
If you are a Washington resident and receive any text messages or phone calls telling you that you qualify for the ACA refund, it is a scam. Always be aware of anyone asking you to send in payments or premiums to unverified sources.
You can alert the Washington State Attorney General's Office and let them know you are being scammed.
Read More: Think You Can Buy That with Your EBT Card in WA? Think Again
Thousands of Noncitizens Face Loss of Medicaid Coverage October 1
Meanwhile, a major health plan shakeup is under way in Washington State. Beginning October 1, thousands of Medicaid customers will be kicked off the health care coverage. This will only apply to persons identified by the government as "noncitizens." For a more detailed explanation, visit HCA.wa.gov.
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Gallery Credit: Reesha Cosby
