Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that more than 20 million Americans enrolled in Medicare will receive payments exceeding $100, unveiling another round of direct financial assistance as his administration highlights its economic record ahead of the November congressional elections.
Speaking at a Republican campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, Trump said the payments would begin the following day and would include more than 1.4 million senior citizens in Texas.
The President claimed that his administration had discovered billions of dollars originally intended for improvements to Medicare that had not been spent.
“Tonight I have more breaking news. Our administration has also located billions and billions of dollars that were so — supposed to be spent on improving Medicare, which it didn’t get improved,” Trump told supporters.
He accused the previous administration of concealing the money to present a more favourable financial picture.
Trump said the funds would now be returned to senior citizens.
“And I’m pleased to — Announce that, starting tomorrow, over 20 million seniors on Medicare will receive checks or deposits for over $100 each,” he said.
The President said more than 1.4 million beneficiaries in Texas would be covered.
He did not provide a detailed breakdown of the funding, eligibility criteria or the mechanism through which the payments would be made.
Trump presented the Medicare and healthcare payments as part of a wider effort to return money to American households.
He also promised a $5,000 payment to every adult American citizen if Republicans retained control of both chambers of Congress in November.
At a separate White House event, a reporter questioned whether the administration’s financial announcements were intended to influence voters before the midterm elections.
The question referred to healthcare refunds, payments to seniors and the proposed $5,000 dividend.
Trump defended the measures, arguing that economic growth and tariff revenues had made them possible.
“Well, what we’re doing is we have tremendous growth,” he said.
The President did not provide additional documentation during the exchanges to substantiate the alleged healthcare overcharging or the source of the Medicare funds.
(IANS)
