Families USA’s State of the Union Reaction: Watch the Policy, Not the Promises

02.24.2026 /Statement

WASHINGTON, D.C - Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, released the following statement today on the State of the Union address.

"President Trump's State of the Union address showed a stark contrast between his public promises to lower health care costs and his actual policies of deliberate decisions to raise premiums. We must look at what the President has done, rather than what he said."

"His plan on health care and costs isn't the few sentences in a speech, but the massive Medicaid cuts he signed into the law, and Congress' deliberate decision to double premiums for those who buy coverage as individuals, costing consumers hundreds of thousands of dollars. The President and Congress allowed enhanced premium tax credits to expire, made historic cuts to Medicaid, and otherwise are pushing and pricing millions of Americans off of coverage.

"His plan for Health Savings Accounts is only for people who buy lower-quality, higher deductible plans-who pay more to get less. Americans need the guarantee they had for the last few years, that they don't pay more than a percent of their income for coverage. Extending the enhanced tax credits should be an entry point for taking on the health care corporations and the root causes of high health prices."

"We support the specific focus on prescription drug prices, but it's wildly out-of-touch to say a website of coupons of existing programs means we got it done. Even the previous Administration's admirable efforts on Medicare price negotiation needs to be expanded to bargain for more medications for more people.

"Families USA policy recommendations for tackling the health care system's affordability crisis , the corporate price-gouging that drive high health costs and expensive prescription drugs . These approaches provide comprehensive, effective solutions the administration's recent actions and deliver affordable, accessible health care that voters desire."