In October, some people with Medicare received a one-time $90 payment toward the Part B premium. CMS calls it the Medicare Improvement Fund Premium Rebate. It was one payment, not a new monthly benefit and not a cut to next year’s premium.
Who CMS says received it
CMS says the rebate went to about 20.8 million people in Original Medicare Part B who:
- Live in the United States
- Are not getting Medicaid help that pays the Part B premium
- Are not paying an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), the extra charge for higher incomes
People enrolled in Medicare Advantage were not eligible. Medicare.gov’s note about the one-time letter says the same thing. If you have an Advantage plan, missing the $90 does not mean something went wrong with your enrollment.
Most eligible people were to get a direct deposit of $90 on or around October 8, 2026. Others were to get a paper check from the U.S. Treasury later in October. The check message CMS describes is “Medicare Improvement Fund Payment; $90 Payment to Offset October Premium.” No application was required.
To ask whether you were eligible, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). To ask whether a payment was sent, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. CMS said to use that Social Security number for payment status beginning October 15, 2026.
Why it should not pick your 2027 plan
The rebate offset part of an October premium. It does not repeat each month, and it does not travel with you into a different type of coverage. Switching to Original Medicare, or away from it, will not create another $90 payment.
Annual Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs through December 7. Compare plans on the things that last all year:
- Whether your doctors and hospitals are in the plan
- Whether your prescriptions are on the formulary, and what they cost
- The premium, deductible, and the most you could pay in a year
Do that on Medicare Plan Finder. The projected 2027 Part B premium is a separate planning number. See what to budget before CMS makes the Part B premium official.
If you did not get $90
You may have been left out for a reason CMS published: Medicare Advantage, Medicaid paying the premium, IRMAA, or not living in the United States. If none of those fit and you were in Original Medicare Part B, call 1-800-MEDICARE and ask them to check eligibility, then Social Security about the payment. Do not change your 2027 plan just to chase a payment that already went out once.
CDA Insurance helps people in Idaho, Oregon, Texas, and Washington compare 2027 options at no cost to you. Call (800) 884-2343 or use the contact page.
Compare 2027 on the full year, not one check
We can look at doctors, drugs, and yearly cost with you before December 7.