Executive Orders Will Start Special Enrollment Period, Remove Barriers to Medicaid
Washington, DC — Today, President Biden will sign executive orders to start to roll back Republicans’ years-long war on health care and increase access to affordable health care by reopening HealthCare.gov for a special enrollment period to help people enroll in Affordable Care Act health plans and removing barriers to enrolling in Medicaid as Americans continue to face the coronavirus pandemic. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“President Biden pledged to build on the strong foundation of the Affordable Care Act and use his executive authority to reverse Trump’s sabotage, and he began fulfilling that promise today. Today’s executive actions are a critical first step in rolling back Republicans’ war on health care and increasing coverage. Reopening the ACA marketplace means nearly 9 million people will be eligible for free or subsidized health insurance coverage. Recent polling shows people think coverage is more expensive than it actually is. There is an estimated $1 billion in unspent funds from the Trump administration that can be used to promote this special enrollment period. As Americans continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cost millions of Americans their jobs and health insurance, they need coverage more than ever. Additionally, by removing barriers to Medicaid enrollment implemented by the Trump administration, President Biden is making sure vulnerable populations can access the care they need. Between today’s executive actions and including provisions to make health care more affordable in his American Rescue Plan, President Biden is delivering on his promises and making sure Americans can get the coverage they need.”