$500 Government Checks Heading to Select Louisiana Mailboxes

(KMDL-FM) Almost 1 million Americans in 30 states should be keeping a close watch on mail delivery in their neighborhoods over the next week or so. The United States Government has announced that, as of September 30th, it will be sending $500 refund checks to Americans who overpaid for health insurance.

Almost 1 Million Americans Paid Too Much in Government Fees

woman in scrubs holding heart shaped stethoscope

The refunds were announced earlier this year, and the $500 amount is being refunded to compensate for what the federal government is characterizing as an overpayment for services offered via Healthcare.gov.

READ MORE: Residents of These States Eligible for Government Refund

The added expenses were passed on to consumers as "user fees". According to statements from the White House, the overcharges were far in excess of what was needed to fund the healthcare exchange.

Who Is Eligible for a $500 Government Refund Check?

To be elegible for the $500 refund check, you must not have received assistance from the government in covering costs for healthcare. You will also need to be a resident of a state that uses the federal marketplace exchange. Louisiana is one of the states that does, so you would be eligible if you are a Louisiana resident.

A pen rests on a check near the dollars line

Residents of Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi are among those who would also qualify for the $500 refund. According to the White House, the refund checks were to be sent out as of September 30th, so do monitor your mailbox to see if you have something unexpected from Uncle Sam.

READ MORE: All Those Government Checks We Were Promised - What's the Status?

Maybe you can use that extra cash to pay for a meal at a place where they will give you the most value for your dollar. Here are our suggestions for that.