In late September, the Trump Administration began sending $500 refund checks to roughly 950K Americans who purchased insurance through the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace

Dover, DE (October, 12, 2026)- The Trump Administration has recently announced that the federal government will be issuing a one-time payment to eligible Healthcare.gov enrollees who paid full price for their 2026 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage without premium subsidies. As many as 7,200 Delaware Marketplace consumers may be eligible for a refund related to their 2026 health insurance coverage. This refund applies only to individuals who paid full price for their 2026 Marketplace plans without receiving any premium subsidies.

State data indicates that approximately 7,200 Delaware residents meet the eligibility criteria. The Trump Administration has already identified eligible consumers, and refund payments will be issued automatically. No action is required from consumers to initiate the refund.

Consumers who have questions about their Marketplace enrollment or who believe their refund may be tied to their HealthCare.gov account may contact: HealthCare.gov Customer Service by calling: 1‑800‑318‑2596

Refund payments are being issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, although the source of funding has not been identified. While no dedicated hotline for these specific refunds is available, general information can be obtained through the Treasury Department’s main information line: 202‑622‑2000.

According to the White House, almost a million people will get refund checks, out of more than 19 million people with Marketplace coverage. The other 18 million enrollees will not receive a refund check, either because they’re in a state that runs its own Marketplace, or because they received a premium subsidy for their 2026 coverage.

Is the $500 refund per person or per household?

• According to the White House, the refund is per person. So, an eligible household with more than one enrollee could receive more than one $500 refund check.1

Do I need to apply for the $500 ACA marketplace refund?

• No, you do not need to apply for the ACA marketplace refund.

When will I get my refund?

• If you’re eligible for the $500 ACA marketplace refund, you should receive a check in October 2026.

Will the $500 ACA checks offset the Marketplace premium increases?

• Because the federal government is sending the $500 rebate to HealthCare.gov enrollees who don’t get a subsidy, it’s mostly targeting people with household income above 400% of the federal poverty level. These enrollees are no longer eligible for subsidies due to the return of the “subsidy cliff” in 2026. People affected by the subsidy cliff saw varying premium increases in 2026, depending on their age and location. But some are paying thousands of additional dollars in premiums this year.

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