Biden’s Executive Order on Expanding Access to COVID-19 Therapies

January 28, 2021 - President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order to accelerate the development of novel COVID-19 therapies and improve access to care for all Americans. 

First, Biden called on the HHS and the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a plan to support a range of studies.

These studies include randomized trials, studies to identify optimal clinical management strategies, and studies that support the most promising treatments for COVID-19 and future public threats.

Additionally, HHS and the NIH Director must develop a plan to support research in rural hospitals, research on the long-term impact of COVID-19 on patient health, and ensure that trials include populations that have been generally underrepresented. 

Section three of the executive order is on improving the capacity of the nation’s healthcare systems to address COVID-19 and support healthcare workers and patients. 

Biden tapped the HHS Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, along with the Jeff Zients, the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response, as well as the Counselor to the President of the COVID-19 Response, to provide targeted assistance to critical care and long-term facilities.

These facilities include nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with disabilities, and residential treatment centers. This initiative will support efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, the president said.

Zients, the Secretary of Defense, HHS Secretary, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, should also develop recommendations on actions that need to be taken to support active military personnel, veterans, and tribal nations during the pandemic.

At the beginning of December, HHS announced that all tribal health programs and urban Indian organizations (UIOs) can choose their preferred method for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Both groups have the option to receive the vaccine either through the Indian Health Services (IHS) or their respective state. HHS will allocate vaccines to jurisdictions who will then distribute to tribal health programs and UIOs. 

Under the executive order, Biden also directed the HHS Secretary to issue recommendations on how states and healthcare providers can boost capacity of their workforce to address the current crisis. 

And through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the HHS Secretary should also help expand access to programs and services intended to meet the long-term health needs of patients recovering from the coronavirus.

Section four of the executive order touched on improving access to quality and affordable healthcare.

For this measure, Biden directed Zients, the Secretary of Defense, HHS Secretary, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to establish targets for the production, allocation, and distribution of COVID-19 treatments.

First, they must consider prioritizing investments in therapeutics that can be readily administered and scaled through previous grants for research and development. 

Additionally, the HHS Secretary should identify barriers to “maximize the effective and equitable use of existing COVID-19 treatments” and provide support to state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities to combat potential barriers. 

The HHS Secretary was also ordered to evaluate the COVID-19 Uninsured Program, Medicare, Medicaid, group health plans, and health insurers to take action to promote access to treatments and clinical care for those without coverage. 

This will support safety-net providers in delivering treatments and clinical care.

“The federal government works with states, cities, Tribal communities, and private industry to increase supply and administer testing and the vaccines that will help reopen schools and businesses safely. Communities and people being disproportionately infected and killed by the pandemic can receive the care they need and deserve,” Biden said in an official statement. 

“Our national strategy will be driven by scientists and public health experts who will regularly speak directly to you, free from political interference as they make decisions strictly on science and public health alone,” Biden concluded.