Federal Benefits Program

Are seniors on Medicare eligible for a benefits card that provides $2,888 in food assistance? No, that's not true: Medicare, the federal health insurance program for senior Americans, does not offer food benefit cards. The claim is a ruse designed to gather sales leads for companies hawking insurance plans, experts in Medicare and fraud told Lead Stories. The claim appeared…

Is the IRS offering Americans "additional spending" in 2023? No, that's not true: Neither the government nor the IRS are offering a new cash stimulus to people who make under $50,000 and who are not on Medicaid or Medicare. The claim appeared in a video published on Facebook on January 4, 2023, under the title "Claim Your $540/Month In Health…

Is there a new health care stimulus program giving $5,200 to people who make under $50,000? No, that's not true: There are no government programs offering money to people as a health care stimulus as of this writing. The claim appeared on Facebook on December 27, 2022. The narrator of the video starts with: Guys, you are being ripped off…

Is there a new stimulus package that is giving $440 a month to low-income Americans who don't have Medicaid or Medicare? No, that's not true: The claim offers no proof that the money is being distributed to people who do not have Medicaid or Medicare health insurance programs. The link in the caption does not go to an official government…

Is Congress considering a bill that would cut $300 billion from Medicare to fund Obamacare, former President Barack Obama's health care law? No, that's not true: The Inflation Reduction Act, which was introduced by congressional Democrats, was passed in the Senate through the reconciliation process on August 7, 2022. If it became law, the measure would reduce some drug costs…

Are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) weather cameras offline along the entire coastline of the lower 48 states? No, that's not true: In an email to Lead Stories, the FAA said it has no weather camera systems in those areas. Hundreds of sites are operational as part of the agency's weather camera program. More than 200 cameras are being used in…

Can people receiving government benefits get a free smartphone directly through the government? No, that's not true: There is no government program that directly offers a free smartphone. However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does oversee programs that offer discounts for broadband and wireless services for eligible, low-income people. The claim appeared in a Facebook post on July 17, 2022.…

Will Social Security payments just now or in the near future be referred to as "federal benefit" payments? Not exactly: Payments from the Social Security program have been considered federal benefits since the federal government created the program in 1935. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) on August 12, 2020. The post's graphic reads: The Social Security…

Does this post lead senior citizens to accurate information about how to obtain free food from the government without it affecting their food stamps or other benefits? No, that's not true: The website linked in this Facebook post leads users to a third-party health insurance agency that is not affiliated with the United States government or the federal Medicare program.…

Do 22 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, receive public benefits and vote illegally? No, that's mostly false: Two experts in public policy told Lead Stories that the number of illegal immigrants in the United States is closer to 11 million. Because they are not citizens, they cannot qualify for most public benefits and cannot vote in most…