President to sign executive action on healthcare as experts warn of 500,000 death toll by February’s end
- Biden signals radical shift from Trump on climate crisis
- Homeland security warns of heightened domestic terror threat
- No action on Marjorie Taylor Greene support for executing Pelosi
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10.16am GMT
Here’s a reminder of what we are expecting from Joe Biden today when he addresses the issue of healthcare access at 1:30pm EST (6:30pm GMT). As the Washington Post reported, he will reopen federal marketplaces selling Affordable Care Act health plans and lower recent barriers to joining Medicaid:
Under one order, HealthCare.gov, the online insurance marketplace for Americans who cannot get affordable coverage through their jobs, will swiftly reopen for at least a few months. Ordinarily, signing up for such coverage is tightly restricted outside a six-week period late each year.
Another part of Biden’s scheduled actions is intended to reverse Trump-era changes to Medicaid that critics say damaged Americans’ access to the safety-net insurance. It is unclear whether Biden’s order will undo a Trump-era rule allowing states to impose work requirements, or simply direct federal health officials to review rules to make sure they expand coverage to the program that insures about 70 million low-income people in the United States. Biden has been saying for many months that helping people get insurance is a crucial federal responsibility.
10.04am GMT
Much criticism of “Green New Deal” and environmental policies in the US from Republicans has focussed on the cost to the economy and specifically to jobs. Joe Biden has been attempting to sell his program for dealing with the climate crisis as specifically good for the creation of well-paid union jobs.
When I think of climate change I think of jobs. We’re going to tackle the climate crisis and create good-paying, union jobs at the same time. https://t.co/2VXwVmp7QZ
Continue reading…President to sign executive action on healthcare as experts warn of 500,000 death toll by February’s endBiden signals radical shift from Trump on climate crisisHomeland security warns of heightened domestic terror threatNo action on Marjorie Taylor Greene support for executing PelosiSign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 10.16am GMTHere’s a reminder of what we are expecting from Joe Biden today when he addresses the issue of healthcare access at 1:30pm EST (6:30pm GMT). As the Washington Post reported, he will reopen federal marketplaces selling Affordable Care Act health plans and lower recent barriers to joining Medicaid:Under one order, HealthCare.gov, the online insurance marketplace for Americans who cannot get affordable coverage through their jobs, will swiftly reopen for at least a few months. Ordinarily, signing up for such coverage is tightly restricted outside a six-week period late each year.Another part of Biden’s scheduled actions is intended to reverse Trump-era changes to Medicaid that critics say damaged Americans’ access to the safety-net insurance. It is unclear whether Biden’s order will undo a Trump-era rule allowing states to impose work requirements, or simply direct federal health officials to review rules to make sure they expand coverage to the program that insures about 70 million low-income people in the United States. Biden has been saying for many months that helping people get insurance is a crucial federal responsibility. 10.04am GMTMuch criticism of “Green New Deal” and environmental policies in the US from Republicans has focussed on the cost to the economy and specifically to jobs. Joe Biden has been attempting to sell his program for dealing with the climate crisis as specifically good for the creation of well-paid union jobs.When I think of climate change I think of jobs. We’re going to tackle the climate crisis and create good-paying, union jobs at the same time. https://t.co/2VXwVmp7QZ Continue reading…