Wyden, Merkley, Senate Democrats Unveil Plans to Lower Health Costs Amid Trump’s Broken Promises to Americans

Amid Republican Attacks on Health Care That Raised Premiums and Worsened Coverage, Senate Democrats Offer Path to the Next Generation of Health Reforms to Benefit American Families

Text of the Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and eleven Senate Democrats - including Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. - today announced a new initiative to lower the cost of health care and improve health coverage for American families.

The letter, sent to Senate colleagues and signed by Senators Mark Warner, D-Va.; Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Tina Smith, D-Minn.; and Peter Welch, D-Vt. outlines plans to reverse Republicans' health care cuts and lower costs for patients, make health insurance simpler, and end insurance company gaming by taking on corporate greed.

"It is no surprise that Americans are increasingly questioning whether a system that incentivizes and rewards profit-seeking behavior is compatible with one that places the health and financial well-being of patients and families first," the senators wrote. "Republicans have spent the past year making these problems worse by passing the largest health care cuts in history and pursuing administrative actions that further destabilize health insurance markets. Trump and Republicans have used their majority to increase Americans' health care costs and put new barriers between families and the care they need. Democrats can enact reforms that put patients over profits and consumers over complexity."

The letter describes three goals that will be the focus for policy development among the group in the coming weeks and months:

• Reverse Republican cost increases and reimagine a better path
• Make health care simpler for families
• Take on corporate greed

In contrast to these efforts, Republicans have spent their time in power on a campaign to make health insurance cost more while delivering less care to American families. In July 2025, Trump and Republicans passed the largest cut to health care in American history, totaling more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. These cuts, in addition to their refusal to extend middle class tax credits for health care at the end of last year, will increase premiums, rip away services like care at home and cause tens of millions to go without health insurance, which drives up costs for all Americans.

Last month, Wyden and Senate Democrats released a plan to take on the high cost of prescription drugs, amid Trump's continued smoke and mirrors and broken promises to rein in Big Pharma.

The text of the letter is here. The flash report on Trump's broken promise of lower health costs is here.

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