Although a fourth stimulus check seems unlikely at this point, the federal government has launched other financial aid programs that should grant eligible Americans extra money. On top of this, online petitions are close to completing their massive milestones.
Many Americans accrued massive expenses and debts over these last few years. Unfortunately, with the pandemic still raging on, Americans feel uncertain if they can find the money to pay for their daily expenses. To help its citizens fight against poverty, the federal government is giving all the monetary benefits they could for the year.
Americans could now receive money from their health insurance rebates, Social Security Income (SSI) benefits, as well as through the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program.
Fourth Stimulus Check Update: Ongoing Programs Available
Some states have already given out extra relief money to their local residents. California, for example, is busy with its second wave of $600 to $1100 Golden State stimulus check delivery to eligible citizens. Families who need the extra boost should visit their local government for possible programs they could apply to.
Aside from that, here are notable ongoing programs that should credit Americans with a few hundred dollars.
Health Insurance Rebates
A newly implemented Affordable Care Act enforces "medical loss ratio" requirements on health insurance companies. To summarize, insurance companies should spend "80 percent of their premiums on claims and other activities of value to policyholders." For large insurance groups with 50 employees or more, 85 percent of their premiums must be spent.
Based on last year's records, insurers received approximately $2.5 billion in rebates. This year is expected around $2.1 billion. This money should ideally be distributed to over 10.7 million Americans.
Social Security Income Benefits: Cost of Living Adjustments
An earlier report also mentioned a possible 6 percent increase in the cost of living adjustments (COLA) in 2022. Based on these numbers, SSI benefits might include an extra $100 on top of the regular budget. The government released an SSA online calculator that should help Americans check on their eligibility and amount receivable.
Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a $700 million grant to support farmworkers, food workers, and frontliners. The program could release up to $600 payments as financial relief to their expenses. Note, however, that the official request for application would start fall of this year. Workers should apply for the grant to receive the money. More information is available on their webpage.
Read also: Child Tax Credit Payment Dates: When to Expect $300 September Payment, How to Track Delayed Money
Online Petitions for the Fourth Stimulus Check
Despite the progress, some Americans continue to petition for direct relief payments through stimulus checks. Here are a few notable online petitions that gained a lot of popularity.
Stephanie Bonin started the petition for $2000 monthly stimulus checks for Americans. It officially reached 2,900,456 signatures at the time of writing. It is less than 100,000 signatures away from reaching the massive milestone of 3 million supporters.
The Senior Citizen League, meanwhile, started the petition for $1400 stimulus payments for seniors.The organization argued that seniors are also heavily affected by the pandemic. They called to the government for support on their expenses with healthcare, prescription drugs, ration meals and other related necessities.
There is also the petition for $600 payments to SSDI and SSA recipients. Notably, SSDI and SSA recipients are not included in the Golden State stimulus check recipients. Members of this petition has demanded for amendments and considerations to their unique circumstances.
Related Article: Fourth Stimulus Check Updates: $1400 Payment for Seniors Gets Strong Push, September Child Tax Credit Delayed
