CMS has confirmed a one-time $90 Medicare Improvement Fund premium rebate in October 2026. It is not a recurring $90 monthly benefit and it is not available to everyone with Medicare.
The agency’s FAQ identifies certain Original Medicare Part B beneficiaries living in the United States as the eligible group and expressly excludes Medicare Advantage enrollees. Medicaid premium assistance and income-related premium adjustments are also part of its eligibility criteria. If either applies to you, ask Medicare to confirm your individual eligibility.
How payment is being delivered
CMS says most eligible people receive a direct deposit, with some receiving a Treasury paper check later in October. Its FAQ points people to Medicare for eligibility questions and to Social Security for payment-status questions beginning October 15.
Use 1-800-MEDICARE for an eligibility check. For payment status, the SSA number listed in the CMS guidance is 1-800-772-1213. Have your own records ready, but use an official contact route rather than a number in an unexpected message.
Keep it separate in your budget
Record a received rebate as a one-time amount. Do not subtract $90 from every future premium or change your regular payment arrangements on the assumption that the rebate repeats. If a notice or deposit is unclear, keep the date, description and amount together so the agency can help identify it.
