About 119,000 Montgomery County residents enrolled in Original Medicare Part B are getting one-time $90 rebate checks from the federal government in October.

The payments, announced by the White House on Oct. 2, are drawn from the Medicare Improvement Fund, a $2 billion congressional fund created in 2008 that had never been used for direct payments to beneficiaries, according to a White House fact sheet. More than 20 million enrollees nationwide are eligible.

Locally, the 119,000 figure represents about 60% of the county's nearly 200,000 total Medicare enrollees, Montgomery Community Media first reported, citing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) enrollment data from June.

No application is required. The Social Security Administration (SSA) sent most payments by direct deposit on or around Thursday, Oct. 8. The U.S. Treasury Department is mailing paper checks to remaining eligible recipients later in October. Those checks carry the label "Medicare Improvement Fund Payment; $90 Payment to Offset October Premium."

Who does not qualify

Not every Medicare enrollee is eligible. Three groups are excluded:

  • Residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. About 45,000 county residents fall into this category.
  • People whose Part B premiums are already covered by Medicaid.
  • Higher-income enrollees who pay the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). In 2026, that surcharge applies to individuals earning above $109,000 and joint filers above $218,000, according to Medical Daily. CMS says IRMAA affects roughly 8% of Part B enrollees.

Nationally, about 40 million of the program's 62.9 million Part B participants do not qualify, CBS News reported.

Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, told CBS News that higher-income enrollees excluded by IRMAA "have higher incomes to begin with, so the thinking is that they may be better able to absorb higher costs and wouldn't benefit as much from the $90 payment as people with lower incomes."

How far does $90 go?

The standard monthly Part B premium rose from $185 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026, according to CMS. The $90 rebate covers less than half of one month's premium. Part B premiums are projected to rise by roughly $79 per year in 2027, according to the Medicare trustees' June report, as CBS News reported.

Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, lab tests and ambulance services.

Where to call with questions

  • Eligibility: Call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
  • Payment status: Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 starting Thursday, Oct. 15.
  • Local help: The Montgomery County State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, confidential counseling at 301-255-4250, according to the Maryland Department of Aging.

Residents who have not received a direct deposit should watch their mail through the end of October for a paper check from the Treasury Department. Medicare open enrollment runs Thursday, Oct. 15 through Dec. 7; changes made during that window take effect Jan. 1, 2027.