On April 5, the White House provided an update on progress various agencies related to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have made in following Executive Order (EO) 14009 (Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act). Signed by President Joe Biden in January 2021, the order aims to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care by strengthening and protecting the Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the White House said in a statement.
The order directed any agencies and executive departments with “authorities and responsibilities related to Medicaid and the ACA” to examine existing agency actions such as policies, guidance documents, orders, and regulations to figure out if these actions “are inconsistent” with the policy. Since the order was signed, agencies across the US have:
- Extended or facilitated the expansion of Medicaid eligibility to more individuals in several states
- Extended Medicaid coverage for pregnant people for to allow them to retain coverage for up to one year postpartum
- Made it easier for Americans to enroll in coverage through a variety of initiatives, such as extending the HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment Period, holding a Special Enrollment Period during 2021, increasing enrollment funding for groups that help people apply for ACA and Medicaid coverage, reducing paperwork related to enrollment, and allowing low-income Americans to apply for coverage year-round
- Partnered with states to create “innovative coverage options, strengthen benefits, and lower costs”
- Put forth new rules to allow for better, more standardized coverage and boost ACA provider networks
- Worked on ways to fix a “regulatory gap” preventing family members from receiving ACA subsidies in spite of “very high premiums for coverage through an employer”
The White House states that agencies are continue to look at their existing policies under the executive order to make further improvements, as, despite the progress made, many Americans still struggle to access adequate health care due in part to states not adopting the ACA’s Medicaid expansion.
Look for more information on how these policy reviews are expected to affect labs in our monthly briefings.