Executive Order 13813, signed on October 12, 2017, directed three federal agencies—the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury—to systematically reduce regulatory barriers in healthcare markets. The order specifically instructed these agencies to issue new regulations expanding association health plans and short-term, limited-duration insurance products. Rather than requiring Congressional action, Trump used executive authority to override existing regulatory frameworks that had developed under previous administrations, shifting agency priorities toward deregulation without legislative amendment.

The immediate effect expanded access to health insurance products that operate outside the Affordable Care Act's consumer protections. Americans purchasing short-term plans under this directive gain lower premiums but forfeit comprehensive coverage guarantees, protections for pre-existing conditions, and mandatory inclusion of essential health benefits like mental health services or prescription drug coverage. Workers in small businesses joining association health plans similarly faced reduced regulatory oversight compared to traditional group insurance. These products proved attractive to younger, healthier populations seeking cheaper monthly costs, while older or sicker Americans faced either higher premiums or exclusions based on medical history.

This executive order established a foundational deregulatory approach that subsequent Trump actions have expanded systematically across healthcare. The 2017 directive prioritized consumer choice rhetoric while shifting risk toward vulnerable populations, a pattern evident in later efforts to reduce Title X birth control funding and restrict mifepristone telehealth access. Each action positioned deregulation or market-driven solutions as alternatives to comprehensive federal standards, whether concerning insurance coverage, reproductive healthcare access, or vaccine recommendations implemented in 2026.

The order faced ongoing litigation from consumer advocacy groups and state attorneys general who argued the regulations conflicted with the ACA's statutory framework, though courts permitted implementation to proceed while cases developed. The regulatory structure created by this executive order persisted largely intact despite legal challenges, fundamentally altering the healthcare market landscape by legitimizing lower-coverage insurance products as standard alternatives rather than gap solutions.