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WASHINGTON — President Trump says his administration will make one-time payments of $90 per person to help more than 20 million Medicare enrollees pay for their Part B premiums. It will cost about $2 billion.

Less than one-third of all Medicare recipients are eligible for the payments, which are expected to be sent out this week. Not eligible are roughly 35 million Medicare Advantage enrollees, millions of people with disabilities who get premium assistance and low-income Medicare recipients.

The election-year promise that the Republican president made over the weekend comes as the Nov. 3 midterms are fast approaching, with the cost of living and healthcare expenses among the top issues for voters.

Some questions and answers about the payouts:

Who will benefit?

Some 20.8 million people in the original Medicare Part B who are living in the United States, not receiving premium assistance from Medicaid or not paying an income-related monthly adjusted amount.

Medicare Advantage enrollees, who make up more than half of the eligible 64.2 million Medicare beneficiaries, will not receive a payment, according to KFF, a healthcare research nonprofit. Nor will 12 million low-income older adults and people with disabilities who get premium assistance.

The Part B program covers expenses such as doctor’s visits, ambulance services and lab tests. Total monthly costs generally start at about $200 and vary with income.

Allison Schuster, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement that the administration “is enabling Americans to take control of their health by putting money directly back in the hands of Medicare patients.”

When will the payments go out and how will they be disbursed?

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website, eligible beneficiaries will receive one $90 rebate this month, with most getting a direct deposit on or around Friday. Others will receive a paper check from the Treasury Department later in October.

Juliette Cubanski, director of KFF’s program on Medicare policy, said the payment will be automatic.

“As far as a benefit goes, people don’t have to call or sign up — it’s just money they receive directly, but not everybody on Medicare will receive this money.”

A White House fact sheet says people can call (800) MEDICARE ([800] 633-4227) to check their eligibility for the premium rebate. To check on payment status, people should call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213.

What is the source of the money?

Payments will come out of the Medicare Improvement Fund created by Congress in 2008 and intended to make improvements to the Medicare fee-for-service program.

The fund was created to improve program management and conduct oversight of contracts and contractors, according to the Congressional Budget Office, but its purpose has expanded after various legislative changes.

This is not the first time the fund has been used.

President Obama’s administration, along with Congress, redirected $20 billion to expand healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

But under Trump, it is the first time that the fund has been used to directly pay recipients.

What are critics of the plan saying?

Critics of Trump’s promise characterize the $90 payments as a preelection stunt designed to sway voters rather than address structural problems in healthcare costs and administration.

The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, said in a statement that “this is another desperate attempt by a failed president to escape Americans’ revulsion with his failed agenda, amounting to one tank of Trump-inflated gas.”

Trump recently promised $500 rebate checks to an estimated 1 million Obamacare enrollees across 30 states whom the White House alleged were overcharged by the Biden administration for some fees.

Cubanski said the Medicare rebate payments were being doled out when Americans were feeling the bite of higher food, energy and gas prices. Surging healthcare costs are only compounding those pressure, she said.

“This might be helpful for people but it might not go very far.”

Hussein writes for the Associated Press.

CENTER Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of new sensory libraries at all of its villages to cater for families with neurodivergent children.

Collaborating with specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, it has officially opened its sensory library at its Elveden Forest village, where families will be allowed to borrow items for free during their stay.

Products such as noise-reducing ear defenders, wipe-clean boards, calming lights, fidget toys, feelings wheels, visual timers and pop tubes will be available for families to choose from.

The short break provider plans to roll out libraries at all of its villages by 2028.

It follows research of 500 parents and legal guardians of neurodivergent children and those with additional needs, which revealed 80 per cent take a destination’s ability to meet their child’s individual needs into account when deciding where to go.

A further 80 per cent said busy or crowded environments can be challenging for their child, with 75 per cent sometimes avoiding activities or facilities entirely because they prove overwhelming.

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Georgia Sargeant, CEO and founder at SENNIES, speaking in partnership with Center Parcs, said: “No two neurodivergent children are the same, so there is no single adjustment that works for every family.

“What matters is choice, a considered range of options from sensory resources and communication aids through to support for self-regulation and co-regulation, so a family can pick what works for their child that day.

“This library turns families’ feedback into practical support and shows how holiday providers can respond meaningfully to changing needs.”

The decision to launch the library comes as 44 per cent of parents polled said many holiday providers don’t offer adequate provisions for their children.

With 70 per cent agreeing further support is needed for neurodivergent children and kids with additional needs.

It emerged 72 per cent of mums and dads bring sensory equipment or comfort items from home on every or most trips.

And 68 per cent said access to sensory and accessibility aids at their destination would improve the holiday experience for their child.

While a further 68 per cent also said if they could obtain a variety of sensory items to loan for the duration of their getaway, it would help their family feel more supported.

Department for Education figures show more than 1.8 million pupils in England now have special educational needs – this is an increase of 5.2 per cent in a year.

And it has seen NHS assessment waitlists reach more than 240,000.

While the Children’s Commissioner’s latest annual briefing found children’s referrals, involving suspected autism, rose 47 per cent in a single year.

And neurodevelopmental referrals increased by 24 per cent.

Richie Williams, village director at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, said: “The number of families looking for more thoughtful, practical support is growing.

“This pilot is the beginning of a journey, and we will listen closely to families using it and learn from their feedback as we consider what comes next and a future rollout to other villages.”

The family holiday park has become the first holiday operator to begin rolling out sensory libraries across all of its villages, offering free-to-borrow sensory aids for families with neurodivergent children

Center Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of new sensory libraries across all of its villages, catering for families with neurodivergent children.

Working alongside specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, the family resort has officially unveiled its sensory library at its Elveden Forest village, where families can borrow items free of charge during their stay. The short break provider intends to roll out the libraries across all of its villages by 2028.

Items such as noise-reducing ear defenders, wipe-clean boards, calming lights, fidget toys, feelings wheels, visual timers and pop tubes will be on offer for families to select from.

Georgia Sargeant, CEO and founder at SENNIES, speaking in partnership with Center Parcs, said: “No two neurodivergent children are the same, so there is no single adjustment that works for every family.

“What matters is choice, a considered range of options from sensory resources and communication aids through to support for self-regulation and co-regulation, so a family can pick what works for their child that day.

“This library turns families’ feedback into practical support and shows how holiday providers can respond meaningfully to changing needs.”

The decision to launch the library follows a survey of 500 parents and legal guardians of neurodivergent children and those with additional needs, which found that 44% believe many holiday providers fail to offer sufficient provisions for their children.

For 80%, busy or crowded environments can prove challenging for their child, while 75% sometimes avoid activities or facilities altogether because they are overwhelming.

Almost two thirds (68%) said that access to sensory and accessibility aids at their chosen destination would enhance the holiday experience for their child.

Similarly, 68% also indicated that if they could borrow sensory items for the duration of their break, it would help their family feel more supported. Currently, 72% of parents bring sensory equipment or comfort items from home on every or most trips.

Department for Education figures reveal that more than 1.8 million pupils in England now have special educational needs – an increase of 5.2% in a year. This has resulted in NHS assessment waiting lists reaching more than 240,000.

Meanwhile, the Children’s Commissioner’s latest annual briefing discovered that children’s referrals involving suspected autism rose 47% in a single year, while neurodevelopmental referrals increased by 24%.

Richie Williams, village director at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, said: “The number of families looking for more thoughtful, practical support is growing.

“This pilot is the beginning of a journey, and we will listen closely to families using it and learn from their feedback as we consider what comes next and a future rollout to other villages.”

Angel City cruised to a 3-0 road victory over a shorthanded Utah team that received two red cards in the first half.

Defender Paige Cronin and midfielder Ana Tejada were ejected by the 24th minute. Two minutes later, Ally Sentnor converted the resulting penalty kick past goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn to put Angel City (11-8-6) ahead in Sandy, Utah.

Two minutes after coming off the bench for the second half, Taylor Suarez made it 2-0 with a one-touch finish off a pass from Gisele Thompson.

Sveindis Jonsdottir capped the scoring in the 67th minute, dispossessing Tatumn Milazzo deep in Utah territory before rolling a shot past McGlynn’s right side.

Utah fell to 13-9-3.

50,000 frontline staff to receive a jab for a different Ebola strain, with 20,000 enrolled in a one-year clinical trial.

Health workers in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have begun to receive a vaccine that many hope will provide a level of protection against the Ebola virus.

The vaccine rollout started on Saturday in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the northeastern DRC. Ituri is the epicentre of the fastest-growing outbreak of Ebola in history.

The provincial governor, Major-General Gaby Kasongo Mulumba, said health workers there “are particularly exposed and deeply involved in the response”.

The operation, backed by the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, will also target North Kivu, where cases have been rising sharply, health authorities said.

Some 50,000 health and other frontline workers will be injected with the Ervebo vaccine, which was developed for use against the more common Zaire strain.

Its effectiveness against the current Ebola strain caused by the Bundibugyo virus will be monitored in 20,000 recipients for up to one year.

Clinical trials are ongoing to find a licensed vaccine for the latest outbreak, which has no licensed vaccine or proven treatment.

“We don’t know to what degree it might be effective against the Bundibugyo strain,” Steve Ahuka, a Congolese official who is part of the health task force against the Ebola outbreak, said.

Dr Jeannot Elua said at a health facility in Bunia the vaccine was “beneficial”.

“We healthcare workers don’t really have a choice. We are going to receive it,” he told the Associated Press news agency. “Some people here had already received the previous vaccine. I received it myself, because it was mandatory.”

WHO experts have said that early data on the Ervebo vaccine, notably from animal trials, suggested it could offer some protection in the current outbreak.

The virus has killed at least 3,639 and infected some 7,541 people since May. Some 1,823 people have recovered, according to the latest figures from local authorities.

The WHO said in August that 70,000 doses of Ervebo were approved for use in the DRC.

The vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use programme, which allows a medical product to be used in a serious disease situation even though it has not been specifically approved for that particular use.

While WHO officials have cited “encouraging signs” that transmission may be slowing, MSF warned on Friday that there is no clear evidence the epidemic is coming under control.