No More Surprise Bills: Hannah Anderson and Mark Atalla on Drug Price Transparency

In this conversation from America First Policy Institute Studios, Hannah Anderson sits down with Mark Atalla, a senior health policy leader in HHS’ health IT office, to discuss how patient-first reforms are driving down prescription drug costs and restoring transparency in American health care.

Atalla walks through some of the most impactful affordability wins from the first Trump administration, including the $35 insulin cap for seniors, the elimination of pharmacist gag clauses, and reforms designed to give patients clear, upfront pricing information. Together, they explain how transparency—not price controls—is the key to lowering costs and empowering patients.

The discussion focuses on how real-time prescription benefit tools can eliminate surprise bills at the pharmacy counter, give patients more choices, and allow doctors and pharmacists to work together to find affordable alternatives without compromising care. Atalla also explains why these reforms are especially critical for seniors, rural communities, and patients living on fixed incomes.

Anderson and Atalla also address the unintended consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act, including reduced choice and rising pressure on Medicare Part D, and outline how patient-centered, market-based solutions can restore affordability without sacrificing access or innovation.

This conversation highlights how commonsense, America First health care reforms put patients—not bureaucracy—at the center of the system.