President Joe Biden signed several executive orders aimed at reversing some of the changes made by the previous administration to the country’s healthcare programs and policies. This includes rescinding anti-abortion policies that were enacted and expanded by former President Donald Trump.
“I’m not initiating any new law, any new aspect of the law,” Biden said at the Oval Office while signing the new executive orders.
Several of the executive orders will effectively restore Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to their previous state before Trump became president. Biden said that the previous administration made it much more difficult and expensive for people to qualify for the programs and he intends to undo those changes.
Another executive order established a special enrollment period for HealthCare.gov, the country’s federal health insurance marketplace. Under the order, Americans will be able to apply for federal insurance between Feb. 15 and May 15.
Another executive order directed federal agencies to review their rules and make it easier for Americans to get access to healthcare insurance. This included a direction to reduce cost and requirement, particularly for applicants with pre-existing conditions.
In one of the executive orders, Biden rescinded the so-called Mexico City Policy, which barred U.S. dollars from going to overseas organizations that support abortion, gives abortion counseling, or otherwise expand abortion access.