Trump unveils “Great Healthcare Plan” focused on costs, transparency

By HPN Staff

President Donald Trump unveiled what he is calling “The Great Healthcare Plan,” a four-part framework aimed at lowering drug prices, reducing insurance premiums, holding insurers accountable and expanding price transparency across the healthcare system.

In a roughly five-minute video and one-page fact sheet published by the White House, Trump called on Congress to enact the proposal, framing it as a consumer-focused alternative to policies he said favor large corporations and special interests.

“We’re calling it the Great Healthcare Plan. Instead of putting the needs of big corporations and special interests first, our plan finally puts you first and puts more money in your pocket,” Trump said in the video.

Why it matters

The plan outlines broad goals rather than detailed legislative language. Among its central components is most-favored-nation pricing for prescription drugs, which would tie the prices paid in the United States to lower prices in other developed countries. 

Most favored nation pricing has been central to recent negotiations between the administration and drug manufacturers, including Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Johnson & Johnson. Trump also emphasized efforts to reduce insurance premiums, increase competition and require greater transparency in health care pricing so patients can better understand costs before receiving care.

Health care affordability remains a key concern for voters, and Trump’s proposal arrives as lawmakers continue to struggle to advance bipartisan reforms. While prospects for passing a sweeping healthcare package remain uncertain, particularly through the budget reconciliation process, several elements of Trump’s framework are viewed favorably by conservative lawmakers.

The Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservatives in the House, recently released its own healthcare framework that includes similar priorities, such as lowering costs through market-based reforms and expanding price transparency.

“Our framework for a second reconciliation bill includes many of these historic reforms, because that’s how we’re going to secure real wins for the people who sent us here,” Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who chairs the committee, said in a statement to Politico. 

Despite overlapping priorities, agreement across the full Republican conference remains unlikely, according to insiders. 

The big picture

Public dissatisfaction with the U.S. healthcare system continues to grow. According to a recent Gallup poll, a record-low 16% of Americans said they are satisfied with health care costs, while a record-high 23% said the U.S. health care system is “in a state of crisis.”

Those concerns have fueled repeated attempts at bipartisan negotiations in Congress, particularly around expanding subsidies and reducing out-of-pocket costs. 

Trump’s proposal highlights the continued political focus on health care affordability and signals where Republican policy discussions are likely to center in the months ahead. 

Even if legislative action remains uncertain, the framework reflects ongoing pressure to address rising costs, improve transparency and limit the influence of large healthcare corporations.