The Biden administration has taken the following executive actions that address healthcare and COVID-19 relevant to the kidney community in its first few days in office:
■ The Executive Order (EO) on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security accelerates manufacturing and delivery of supplies for vaccination, testing, and personal protective equipment, which has been a top policy priority of ASN’s since the beginning of the public health emergency. This EO, along with the EO on the Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain initiative, will ensure that these vital supplies remain available as the country continues through the public health emergency.
■ President Biden reopened enrollment on HealthCare.gov through May 15, 2021, and has directed federal agencies to reexamine policies that may reduce or undermine access to the Affordable Care Act under the Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act order.
■ To limit the transmission of COVID-19 and its variants, President Biden signed the EO on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel to require masks in airports and on certain modes of transportation, and certain international travelers must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to coming to the United States.
■ President Biden also stopped the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), and designated Anthony Fauci, MD, to serve as the head of the delegation to the WHO.
ASN will continue to provide updates on the Biden administration policies that affect kidney health professionals and the patients they treat.
