President Joe Biden inherited the Oval Office at a time of extreme strain for the U.S. healthcare system. Since his inauguration Jan. 20, 2021, more than 430,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to The New York Times, and the pandemic has set the tone for much of his healthcare policy.
Here are eight significant healthcare policy decisions from President Biden's first year in office:
- He kept the Trump administration rule that requires payers to provide estimated prices to patients.
- President Biden on Jan. 20, 2021, reversed the previous administration's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
- On March 11, President Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 spending package.
- By April. 26, 2021, President Biden announced his administration had hit its goal of administering 200 million COVID-19 vaccine shots.
- On March 24, the Biden administration extended the special enrollment period for Americans to purchase health plans on the ACA marketplace by three months.
- The Biden administration mandated vaccination or regular testing for businesses with more than 100 people and for healthcare facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare funding. Ultimately, the Supreme Court blocked the former rule and upheld the latter mandate on Jan. 13, 2022.
- President Biden also has nominated and appointed key federal healthcare leaders. He appointed Xavier Becerra as HHS secretary and Vivek Murthy, MD, as surgeon general and tapped Robert Califf, MD, as the next head of the FDA.
- On Jan. 18, 2022, the White House implemented a policy providing Americans with free COVID-19 tests shipped to their homes.