$500 Obamacare Refunds Are Headed to Nearly 1 Million Americans – Do You Qualify?

The 30 Eligible States vs. Excluded State Marketplaces

The program exclusively covers residents in states relying on the federal platform. Residents in twenty states and the District of Columbia cannot receive this payout.

The 30 participating states using HealthCare.gov include:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Residents in states like California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington are excluded because those states run independent exchanges. The federal government did not collect user fees from them to refund.

Illustration of a crowd under a dark blue umbrella labeled Subsidized Coverage as a woman walks into sunlight with a refund. — Roughly 18 million of the nation’s 19.2 million Affordable Care Act enrollees receiving subsidies are excluded from refunds.

Why 95% of Marketplace Enrollees Are Excluded

Approximately 95% of marketplace enrollees—roughly 18 million of the nation’s 19.2 million Affordable Care Act customers—are excluded from this program.

Most enrollees receive income-based premium tax credits, which the government considers substantial financial assistance. Relief targets only those paying entirely out of pocket.

Millions buying directly from private insurers off-exchange are also ineligible. If your monthly invoice reflects an “Advance Premium Tax Credit,” you will not receive this check.

Diagram showing HealthCare.gov user fees flowing into a reserve tank, splitting into operational expenses and $500 direct refunds. — Federal exchange user fees collected from premiums formed a funding surplus that is now redistributed back to consumers as administrative rebates.

Understanding the HealthCare.gov User Fee Refund and Funding Surplus

This payout is an administrative fee rebate funded by exchange operations. HealthCare.gov charges insurers a user fee, which is passed directly to policyholders through premiums.

For 2026, this federal fee was 2.5% of total premiums. A KFF analysis revealed that significant surplus funds accumulated from these fees between fiscal years 2018 and 2020.

The White House used that accumulated surplus to finance this healthcare.gov user fee refund. For 2027, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lowered the rate to 1.9%.

“Families need clear rules, transparent fees, and genuine relief when basic living costs spiral.” — Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator and Consumer Advocate