Donald Trump is backing a GOP proposal depositing $1,500 checks into the health care accounts of millions of Americans.
The legislation, which is being led by Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, gives qualifying Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollees a $1,000 deposit for those aged 18 to 49, and $1,500 for those aged 50 to 64.
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, the president signaled he would support the bill.
‘I like the concept. I don’t want to give the insurance companies any money,’ Trump said. ‘They’ve been ripping off the public for years.’
Cassidy and Crapo’s bill injects cash into the health savings accounts for all ACA recipients earning up to 700 percent of the poverty level. To qualify, recipients would need to be enrolled in a bronze or catastrophic plan on the ACA exchange to get a pre-funded HSA.
An HSA is an account used by millions of Americans to pay for qualified medical expenses and is typically paired with high-deductible health plans. The GOP proposal specifies that money from the HSA cannot be used to fund abortion or gender affirming care.
‘I want to give the people better health insurance for less money,’ the president told Politico. ‘The people will get the money and they’re going to buy the health insurance that they want.’
ACA enrollees in a silver, gold, or platinum plan would not qualify for the payments backed by Trump.
Millions of Americans enrolled in the ACA marketplace would qualify for the proposed checks.
As Republicans desperately try to hold onto their majority ahead of the 2026 midterms, Trump has returned to the campaign trail by putting affordability front and center.
New polling indicates Americans are beginning to sour on Republicans handling of the economy. Moreover, Trump’s approval ratings have taken a downswing as the cost of living continues to hurt millions of Americans.
Back in November, Trump promised to give Americans $2,000 each from the ‘trillions of dollars’ in tariff revenue he claims his administration has collected from global trade.
The president decision to back the Republican legislation signals that Trump plans to repair his standing with Americans by stuffing their wallets with cash ahead of the midterms.
Hundreds of people, many bundled up with red ‘Make America Great Again’ beanies, waited in the biting cold Tuesday to see Trump talk up his economic agenda at a casino in rural Pennsylvania.
Several said they are worried about high prices but stopped short of blaming the 79-year-old billionaire.
‘Personally, yes, prices are high right now… but things have to get worse before they get better,’ said Brianna Shay, 26, clutching a sign reading ‘Trump Gives Us Hope.’
‘Unfortunately, the president before really screwed us, really bad,’ she said, echoing Trump in blaming his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for the situation.
‘I think people are going to be able to afford to live again. But he has been president for just under a year now. You know he can’t fix all that in under a year,’ said Shay, a public education administrator.
Under pressure from his Republican Party, Trump has softened his message on inflation by acknowledging an affordability ‘problem,’ having dismissed it last week as a ‘con job.’
His appearance at Mount Airy Casino Resort, which was flanked by snowy fields and a partially frozen lake, was part of an effort to boost messaging that he is reducing inflation.
Inside the packed conference hall, Trump lapped up the attention of a lively crowd that cheered his claims that US prices are falling ‘tremendously.’
And the president again pinned lingering economic issues on his predecessor, prompting boos from the audience, with one woman shouting ‘I hate Joe Biden!’
But even devoted followers like Tevin Dix – one of the first people queuing to hear Trump’s speech – noted the gravity of the financial situation.
‘Things are a little difficult, people are struggling,’ said Dix, an air conditioning technician.
Still, the 30-year-old was confident that Trump’s proposed solutions – including his sweeping levies on US trading partners – would yield results soon.
‘If the tariffs continue to keep pounding and getting other countries to bring jobs back and put more Americans back to work,’ said Dix, who wore a Christmas-style jumper with Trump’s portrait.
Many Americans, however, at least partly blame tariffs for worsening the cost of living, according to polls that show Trump’s approval rating at its lowest since his January return to office.
Despite recognizing some financial concerns, people at the Pennsylvania rally were keen to praise Trump on other policies, such as his crackdown on migrants.
And others simply shrugged off the suggestion of financial hardship.
‘Just past Black Friday was the biggest sales ever. If everybody’s broke, I don’t know where the money came from,’ said Mark Johnson, 70.
‘All my investments are doing good. I’m happy. You can’t cure everything overnight. It’s gonna take a while,’ the retiree added, holding a cutout of Trump wearing a Santa hat.
