President Donald Trump on Thursday rolled out a broad new healthcare proposal that would send government money directly to Americans to pay for medical care, cutting insurance companies out of the middle.
The plan, branded by the White House as “The Great Healthcare Plan,” was unveiled in a video message as lawmakers continue to argue over whether to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that recently expired.
“I’m calling on Congress to pass this framework into law without delay,” Trump said. “Have to do it right now.”
The timing was deliberate. Millions of Americans could see higher insurance premiums if Congress fails to renew the ACA tax credits, and Senate Republicans have been split on whether to support an extension.
THE GREAT HEALTHCARE PLAN.
President Donald J. Trump unveils the Great Healthcare Plan to lower costs and deliver money directly to the American people. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VWtNZzNbQC
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 15, 2026
Trump’s proposal does not include a direct extension of those subsidies. Instead, it reflects his long-running argument that federal healthcare dollars should go straight to patients rather than insurers.
“The government is going to pay the money directly to you,” Trump said in the video. “It goes to you, and then you take the money and buy your own healthcare.”
At the center of the plan is an effort to lock in recent drug pricing deals Trump struck with more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies. Under those agreements, certain prescription drugs for Medicaid patients would be priced based on lower costs paid overseas, under a so-called “most favored nation” model.
Today, President Donald J. Trump called on Congress to enact the Great Healthcare Plan – putting patients before profits. 🇺🇸
📲 https://t.co/nim0ZuF8NM pic.twitter.com/GehRp9e53b
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 15, 2026
In exchange, the companies received a three-year exemption from tariffs and agreed to sell some medications at discounted prices through Trump’s new direct-to-consumer platform, Trump Rx, which the White House says will launch later this month.
Trump claimed drug prices on the platform could drop by as much as “300, 400, even 500%,” a figure that exceeds basic math but underscores the administration’s messaging around steep cuts. The plan would also expand access to over-the-counter medications by allowing more verified safe drugs to be sold without prescriptions.
According to a White House statement, another major pillar involves insurance reform. The proposal calls for insurers to post clear, plain-English comparisons of coverage options, overhead costs, and claim denial rates on their websites.
Trumps New Healhtcare plan Key wins:
• Ends kickbacks to brokers slashing costs
• Locks in massive Rx drug discounts
• Forces transparency: Publish claims vs. profit breakdowns
• Hospitals/insurers on Medicare/Medicaid must post ALL prices prominently
“The big… pic.twitter.com/7H3WHZkIGu
— Nora Christine🎤🌎🗽✝️ (@NewParty2025) January 15, 2026
Hospitals and providers that accept Medicare or Medicaid would also be required to publicly post prices and fees, a move the administration says would reduce surprise medical bills and give patients more leverage to shop around.
The framework includes funding for a cost-sharing reduction program that the administration says could lower premiums on the most common Obamacare plans by more than 10%.
Still, the proposal lands as bipartisan talks continue on Capitol Hill to revive the lapsed ACA subsidies, reports CNBC. Negotiators recently hit a snag over language tied to the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortion services.
.@PressSec: President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan is “the most comprehensive and bold agenda to lower healthcare costs to have ever been considered.”
Lower Drug Prices. Lower Premiums. Holding Big Insurance Companies Accountable. Price Transparency.https://t.co/RB9KJLXqN3 pic.twitter.com/AIr7s7nt3K
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 15, 2026
Some senators questioned whether Trump’s announcement complicates those talks.
“We’ve all known that in order to be able to advance something, we’re going to have to have buy-in from the White House,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, said Thursday. “Does this set things back?”
Democrats said they had not yet reviewed the full plan. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said discussions were still moving forward, despite the uncertainty.
A White House official said the proposal does not shut the door on extending the ACA subsidies, but reflects the president’s preference to route money to individuals instead of insurers.
“This does not specifically address those bipartisan congressional negotiations,” the official said. “It does say that we have a preference that money goes to people.”
