President Biden signed two executive orders that he says just return the Affordable Care Act to what it was before Donald Trump became president. Or as he characterized it, “undo the damage Trump has done.”
The orders are designed to expand access to reproductive health care at home and abroad (specifically for “women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those with low incomes”) and health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.
In addition to opening up a special enrollment period from Feb. 15 to May 15 for Americans who lost their health care coverage during the pandemic, the first order urges federal agencies to reexamine current policies that may undermine the Affordable Care Act or make it difficult for Americans to enroll in Medicaid.
The second order aims “to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care” by rescinding the Mexico City Policy. Also known as the “global gag rule,” this policy (which was not only re-instated but expanded upon by the Trump administration) bars international non-profits that provide abortion counseling or referrals from receiving U.S. funding.