Trump lays out new framework to address health costs

"He rejected reviving the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that Democrats have championed, instead calling for giving that money directly to patients, without fleshing out details. He also called on Congress to write into law his "most-favored nation" drug pricing plan that seeks to lower U.S. prices to match what's paid in other developed countries. That proposal has drawn opposition from Republicans who say it violates free-market principles. Other measures would increase price transparency and strengthen requirements for health providers to prominently display prices."

"Driving the news: Trump, in a five-minute video, outlined a series of measures aimed at the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. The framework also aims to hold insurers "accountable" by posting information on their profits and "frequency with which they deny care." A White House official said the party-line reconciliation process in Congress "would not be necessary" to pass the package, expressing hope the plan could get bipartisan support. What we're watching: Whether the plan will lead to an active legislative effort by congressional Republicans, or whether it will just be used for political cover."

Trump released a five-minute video presenting a health-care framework with measures targeting insurers and pharmaceutical companies. The plan rejects reviving enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, instead proposing that subsidy money be given directly to patients without detailed implementation. The framework calls for enshrining a "most-favored nation" drug-pricing policy to align U.S. prices with those in other developed countries, a proposal that has drawn Republican opposition on free-market grounds. Other provisions increase price transparency and require providers to prominently display prices. The package would post insurers' profits and the frequency of care denials to hold insurers accountable. A White House official said reconciliation would not be necessary and expressed hope for bipartisan support, though Senate and House polarization makes passage unlikely.

Read at Axios