Vox Sentences - Biden's first step on health care

Biden is reopening the Affordable Care Act exchanges; the US has put a freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Gabby Birenbaum.

• President Biden signed an executive order Thursday reopening federal health insurance exchanges through the Affordable Care Act, creating a three-month window for people to enroll in federally subsidized insurance. [Vox / Dylan Scott]
• The executive order is targeting people who are eligible for the ACA, potentially after having lost their insurance, but were not aware of their options. The administration is coupling the announcement with an ad campaign. [Vox]
• The exchanges will be open on Healthcare.gov from February 15 to May 15. Typically, the sign-up period is late in the year, unless someone can prove a major life change. Losing your job qualifies, but the administration is assuming many people who lost their jobs last year were unaware of the opportunity to sign up. [The Washington Post / Amy Goldstein]
• In a contentious Democratic primary dominated by debates over health care, Biden campaigned on his promise to strengthen the ACA. Thursday’s executive order represents his first step in that direction. [CNN / Tami Luhby]
• Former President Trump undermined the ACA by declining to reopen exchanges despite the requests of Democrats and health experts, and by reducing funding for advertising the program. Uninsured rates rose under Trump for the first time in years, even before the pandemic. [The Hill / Jessie Hellmann]
• Biden is also directing the federal government to reexamine any policies that could undermine the ACA or Medicaid. He also revoked the global gag rule that restricts US aid to international organizations that provide abortion services. [ABC News / Molly Nagle]
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