President Joe Biden signed two executive orders regarding health care on Thursday, one of which established a special enrollment period for public healthcare exchanges.
According to CNN, ABC News and NPR, Biden will set a new three-month enrollment period for exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is expected to run from Feb. 15 to May 15.
The new enrollment period will allow the millions of Americans currently unemployed amid the COVID-19 pandemic an extra chance to sign up for health insurance as the virus continues to spread throughout the country.
According to CNN, former President Donald Trump chose not to extend the ACA enrollment period last year, even though 11 states that control their own public health care exchanges decided to do so themselves to the pandemic.
Biden also undid several Trump-era healthcare policies on Thursday, including a policy that bans the government from funding foreign non-profits that support abortion.
As vice president to President Barack Obama, Biden campaigned on the promise of expanding the landmark healthcare program that eventually earned the nickname "Obamacare."
Over the last four years, Trump had sought to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a new health care system that was never fully realized.
The orders Biden will sign Thursday are just the latest of dozens of executive orders he's signed in his week-old term that attempt to undo many Trump-era policies.
On Wednesday, Biden signed three executive orders aimed at fighting climate change and rolling back oil and gas drilling in the U.S. Earlier this week, Biden has also signed orders aimed at promoting racial equity and the government purchase of domestic products.
