On January 7, 2026, US President Trump announced that he would soon meet with representatives of all health insurance companies in the country to discuss the issue of lowering insurance costs. Last month, he expressed his desire to engage with these companies on this matter.
During a Republican congressional gathering in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Trump stated, “I will meet with them in the coming days, I will meet with all of them: 14 companies.”
Representatives of some of the largest health insurance companies in the US did not immediately comment on this matter.
In December of last year, as millions of Americans faced the possibility of significant increases in insurance premiums by the end of the month, Trump indicated his intention to meet with the health insurance industry to discuss cost reduction, similar to how he had previously met with pharmaceutical companies to address issues.
For many Americans who purchase health insurance through exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare,” federal subsidies provided during the COVID-19 pandemic expired on December 31.
While millions of Americans obtain health insurance through employers or federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid, approximately 24 million Americans utilize the Affordable Care Act to purchase insurance independently. Additionally, there are millions of individuals who remain uninsured.
The Republican-controlled Congress has not taken action to extend the subsidies provided under Obamacare during the pandemic. Trump has indicated that he does not intend to offer a broader healthcare plan and suggested that Obamacare will be “self-repealed” as Americans cease to utilize it.
On Tuesday, Trump once again urged Congress to distribute the subsidies provided under the Affordable Care Act directly to the American people, rather than the insurance companies currently receiving federal subsidies, to allow individuals to purchase insurance on their own. However, he did not specify the exact amounts for distribution.
According to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, if insurance premiums for Americans double as expected, many individuals may opt out of insurance by 2026. The average annual premium for various plans under Obamacare that receive subsidies is projected to increase from $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026, based on data from the non-profit research organization.
(Reuters contributed to this report)