President Donald Trump’s plan to send some Medicare recipients a one-time $90 payment could leave out a large number of older Missourians, according to the Missouri Council on Aging.
The payment is intended to help eligible Medicare recipients cover Part B premiums. Anna Thompson with the Missouri Council on Aging said the proposal may sound helpful, but many beneficiaries will not qualify.
“Medicaid dual eligible beneficiaries, they’re actually excluded from it,” Thompson said. “And we have some other ones that are going to be excluded. So, it’s actually more that are excluded than those that are included.”
Thompson said more than 53 percent of Missouri seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will not qualify.
“So, people that are facing the same cost pressures as traditional Medicare enrollees are going to be excluded,” Thompson said.
The White House says eligible recipients will receive the $90 payment in October by direct deposit or check. The payments are limited to certain Medicare Part B beneficiaries who pay their own premiums.
Thompson also raised concerns about scammers potentially using the payment announcement to target older adults.
“No previous administration has used a Medicare Improvement Fund for direct checks to individuals,” Thompson said. “There’s no reason to apply or take any action, but the concern with these types of rollouts are fraud because people will prey on older adults and say, you just need to give us your information, and you’ll be eligible for the check.”
Thompson encourages Missouri seniors to be cautious about unsolicited phone calls, emails or text messages claiming they need to provide personal information to receive the payment.
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