Washington D.C. - President Donald J. Trump is calling on Congress to enact what he describes as the Great Healthcare Plan, a sweeping healthcare proposal aimed at lowering prescription drug prices, reducing insurance premiums, increasing transparency, and holding large insurance companies accountable.
According to the administration, the plan is designed to shift the healthcare system away from insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and intermediaries, while placing greater control and purchasing power directly in the hands of American patients.
Trump has framed the proposal as an extension of healthcare policies from his first term, combined with new reforms intended to provide immediate cost relief for individuals and families struggling with rising healthcare expenses.
Codifying lower drug prices
A major pillar of the Great Healthcare Plan is lowering prescription drug prices by codifying the Trump administration’s Most-Favored-Nation pricing agreements, which would require Americans to pay the same prices for prescription drugs as consumers in other countries.
The administration says this builds on actions taken during Trump’s first term to lower insulin prices, as well as more recent voluntary negotiations following an executive order aimed at reducing drug costs. According to the plan, any voluntarily negotiated agreements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would be grandfathered in.
In addition, the plan would expand access to verified, safe pharmaceutical drugs by making more medications available for over-the-counter purchase. The administration says this change would lower healthcare costs by increasing competition, improving price transparency, and reducing the need for doctor visits for routine prescriptions.
Lowering insurance premiums
The proposal also seeks to reduce insurance premiums by restructuring how federal healthcare subsidies are distributed. Under the Great Healthcare Plan, billions of dollars currently paid to insurance companies through taxpayer-funded subsidies would instead be sent directly to eligible Americans, allowing them to purchase health insurance of their choice.
The plan also includes funding for a cost-sharing reduction program for healthcare plans. According to the administration, this would save taxpayers at least $36 billion and reduce premiums for the most common Affordable Care Act plans by more than 10 percent, based on estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.
Another provision would eliminate what the administration describes as kickbacks paid by pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, to large brokerage middlemen. The plan argues these payments artificially inflate insurance costs and contribute to higher premiums for consumers.
Holding insurance companies accountable
To increase accountability, the Great Healthcare Plan would establish a “Plain English Insurance” standard, requiring health insurance companies to clearly publish rate and coverage comparisons on their websites in language that is easily understood by consumers.
Insurance companies would also be required to disclose how much of their revenue is spent on patient care compared to overhead and profits. Additional reporting requirements would include publishing the percentage of insurance claims that are denied and average wait times for routine care.
The administration says these disclosures would allow consumers to more easily compare insurance plans and make informed decisions when selecting coverage.
Expanding price transparency
The plan further calls for broad price transparency requirements across the healthcare system. Under the proposal, any healthcare provider or insurer that accepts Medicare or Medicaid would be required to prominently post pricing and fees at their place of business.
The administration says this would help eliminate surprise medical bills and allow patients to shop for care based on both cost and quality.
Call for congressional action
Trump has urged Congress to act quickly on the proposal, arguing that immediate legislative action is necessary to deliver relief to Americans facing high healthcare costs.
The administration describes the Great Healthcare Plan as a comprehensive framework designed to lower costs, increase competition, reduce wasteful spending, and place patients — rather than insurance companies or pharmaceutical interests — at the center of the healthcare system.
If passed, the plan would represent a significant restructuring of how healthcare is priced, purchased, and regulated in the United States.
More information on the proposal is available through the administration’s healthcare policy materials.