Biden to reopen ACA marketplaces, lower barriers for joining Medicaid
Amy Goldstein, The Washington Post
Jan. 25, 2021
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President Joe Biden speaks during a signing ceremony on Friday, Jan 22, 2021.Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden is scheduled to take executive actions as early as Thursday to reopen federal marketplaces selling Affordable Care Act health plans and to lower recently imposed barriers to joining Medicaid.
The orders will be Biden s first steps since taking office to help Americans gain health insurance, a prominent campaign goal that has assumed escalating significance as the pandemic has highlighted desire for affordable health care - and deprived millions of Americans coverage as they have lost jobs in the economic fallout.
Biden to reopen ACA marketplaces to help millions who have lost insurance
The action is among several executive orders the president is issuing in his initial days to demonstrate he intends to steer government in a direction far different from that of his predecessor.
By Amy GoldsteinWashington Post
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President Biden is scheduled to take executive actions as early as Thursday to reopen federal marketplaces selling Affordable Care Act health plans and to lower recent barriers to joining Medicaid.
The orders will be Biden’s first steps since taking office to help Americans gain health insurance, a prominent campaign goal that has assumed escalating significance as the pandemic has dramatized the need for affordable health care and deprived millions of Americans coverage as they have lost jobs in the economic fallout.
The U.S. new cases 7-day rolling average are 16.8 % LOWER than the 7-day rolling average one week ago. U.S. hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are now 2.8 %
LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. U.S. deaths due to coronavirus are now 3.3 %
LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. Today s posts include:
U.S. Coronavirus New Cases are 141,999 [likely understated due to the MLK holiday]
U.S. Coronavirus hospitalizations are at an elevated 123,848
U.S. Coronavirus deaths are 1,403 [likely understated due to the MLK holiday]
U.S. Coronavirus immunizations have been administered to 3.7 % of the population [not updated since 15 January]
Medical tourism is drawing patients, even in a pandemic.
The U.S. border between Arizona and Nogales, Mexico. Even during the pandemic there has been an increase in travel for medical tourism.Credit.Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
Jan. 19, 2021
Many people have put off medical procedures, and seen their health deteriorate significantly. The fear of large medical bills has outweighed fear of contagion for some, giving rise to an increased number of patients seeking medical treatment in a foreign country.
“We are seeing a pent-up demand for medical tourism during the pandemic, particularly in the U.S. where a fast-growing number of Americans are traveling across the land border with Mexico for health purposes,” said David G. Vequist IV, the founder of the Center for Medical Tourism Research and a professor at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.
HHS unleashed in string of last-minute policies
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with FDA officials bracing for more. FDA shakeup in the final Trump days as officials depart amid the pandemic. Biden tees up vaccine plan this week after questions about hitting ambitious distribution goals.
It’s Tuesday, welcome back to Prescription Pulse. Another advocate for FDA as an independent agency? Commissioner Stephen Hahn says it s a timely question. As always, send tips to Sarah Owermohle at [email protected] or @owermohle. Loop in David Lim ([email protected] or @davidalim) and Brianna Ehley ([email protected] or @briannaehley).
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