Trump announces $90 subsidy to Medicare enrollees

(Central News Agency, Washington, 4th, Comprehensive Foreign News Report) U.S. President Trump recently announced that the U.S. government will provide a one-time subsidy of US$90 (approximately NT$2,880) to more than 20 million members of the federal health insurance (Medicare) provided to the elderly to help them reduce their monthly premium burden.

Reuters reported that Donald Trump posted on social media on the evening of the 2nd that relevant funds would come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which was approved by the U.S. Congress to allocate US$2 billion (approximately NT$63.6 billion) to improve the federal Medicare fee-for-service program.

The November midterm elections in the United States are approaching, and this is the latest example of Trump’s recent series of financially beneficial policies aimed at voters. Since the price of oil and natural gas has soared since the U.S. went to war against Iran, the cost of living for Americans has increased, and people are dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the situation, which has kept his approval rating low.

This election is about whether the House and Senate of the U.S. Congress will continue to be controlled by Trump's Republican Party, or whether they will fall into the hands of the Democratic Party. Trump proposed in September that every adult American citizen would receive a $5,000 check from the government if the election results left the Republicans in control of both houses of Congress.

In addition, the Trump administration has recently begun disbursing $500 per person to nearly 1 million Americans. The White House said this is to refund excess charges to people who purchased health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.