WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would meet with representatives from every health insurance company soon, after saying last month that he wanted to talk to them about lowering their prices.
“I’m going to meet with them in a few days, I’m meeting with them all: 14 companies,” Trump said, speaking to a gathering of U.S. House Republicans in Washington.
Representatives for the nation’s largest health insurance firms could not immediately be reached for comment.
In December, as millions of Americans faced a potential spike in premiums at the month’s end, Trump said that he wanted to meet with the health insurance industry about lowering costs just as he had with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
COVID-era U.S. subsidies expired on December 31 for many who purchase their health insurance coverage through exchanges via the Affordable Care Act.
While millions of Americans receive health insurance through their jobs or government coverage under Medicare and Medicaid, about 24 million Americans utilize the ACA to buy their own policies. Millions of others are uninsured.
Congress, led by Trump’s fellow Republicans, did not act to extend the ACA subsidies. Trump has said that he does not plan to offer a broader healthcare proposal and that the ACA, also known as Obamacare, will “repeal itself” as Americans stop using it.
On Tuesday, he reiterated his call for lawmakers to instead give money directly to Americans to buy their own insurance, but offered no specific amount.
About 25% of Obamacare enrollees signaled they would forgo coverage in 2026 if their premiums doubled as expected, KFF polling found. The average annual premium payment for subsidized ACA plans is estimated to increase to $1,904 in 2026 from $888 in 2025, according to the health policy nonprofit.
(Reporting by Steve Holland, Trevor Hunnicutt, Amina Niasse and Susan HeaveyAdditional reporting by Katharine JacksonEditing by Peter Graff)
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