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Biden, who took office last week, will restore access to
healthcare.gov with an executive order on Thursday afternoon,
the latest in a blizzard of moves by the Democratic president to
quickly reverse the policies of his Republican predecessor
Donald Trump.
The order will allow people to sign up for insurance through the
government exchange from Feb. 15 to May 15, the White House said
in a policy fact sheet. The program is normally accessible for
just six weeks a year.
The action was expected. Biden has vowed to shore up the
healthcare.gov and other programs created under former President
Barack Obama's sweeping 2010 Affordable Care Act.
He has argued that the changes are more urgent because of the
coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 400,000
Americans.
Republicans have long opposed the healthcare restructuring law,
criticizing the cost and quality of care as well as extensive
government involvement in healthcare markets.
Biden also plans to direct federal agencies to "re-examine"
Trump-era policies like work requirements that made it more
difficult for people to qualify for Medicaid, the government-run
health insurance program for the poor.
In another action, Biden will rescind the "Mexico City Policy"
that bans U.S. funding for international non-profit
organizations that provide abortion counseling.
Biden is set to sign the executive actions around 1:30 p.m. ET
(1830 GMT).
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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