Trump's Health Plan Surprise: Direct Payments and Drug Price Cuts

President Trump announced a health care plan focusing on direct payments for health savings accounts and reduced drug prices. The proposal, light on specifics, seeks to replace expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats criticize it as inadequate while negotiations continue in Congress.

President Donald Trump unveiled a new health care plan Thursday, emphasizing direct financial support for Americans via health savings accounts, as Republicans face mounting pressure to control rising health costs after expiring ACA subsidies.

The plan, criticized by Democrats as insufficient compared to tax credits that reduced premiums, also targets lowering drug prices and enhancing insurer transparency about costs and operations. It marks an attempt to replace parts of the Affordable Care Act, a goal Trump pursued during his first term without success.

Further specifics from the White House remain scarce, and the proposal's legislative future is uncertain. Dr. Mehmet Oz and political allies are positioning it as a framework for Congress, yet no immediate sponsors have surfaced to introduce the plan officially.

(With inputs from agencies.)