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What To Know About Trump’s Executive Orders on US Health Care 

What To Know About Trump’s Executive Orders on US Health Care 

By Tarena Lofton
A photo of President Donald Trump signing an executive order in the Oval Office. Below the photo is the text, "What To Know About Trump’s Executive Orders on US Health Care", the KFF Health News logo, and the photo credit information, "Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.
White text on a black background at the top of the image reads, "Trump Ends Attempts To Lower Prescription Costs, Rolls Back Some ACA Rules." Black text on a white background underneath reads: "President Donald Trump overrode former President Joe Biden’s executive order that led to longer enrollment periods for Affordable Care Act plans in most states and extra funding to help people enroll. Trump also halted some efforts to limit prescription drug spending by Medicare and Medicaid, as the second round of Medicare price negotiations with drugmakers is slated for this year. On Friday, before his inauguration, an additional 15 drugs — including blockbusters Ozempic and Wegovy — were added to the negotiation list."
White text on a black background at the top of the image reads, "A US Exit From the World Health Organization." Black text on a white background underneath reads: "In his executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization, Trump cited the WHO’s “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic” as well as “unfairly onerous payments” from the U.S. Leaving the WHO means the U.S. will no longer directly shape the international organization, including the health programs it funds and reforms in how the organization responds to emerging outbreaks. The U.S. has historically been one of the largest funders of the WHO. In 2022 and 2023 combined, it contributed nearly $1.3 billion to the agency. "
White text on a black background at the top of the image reads, "Federal Government Won’t Recognize Transgender, Nonbinary Identities, per Trump Order." Black text on a white background underneath reads: "Gender identity — and health care afforded to people on that basis — will be stripped from federal government policies and procedures. The sweeping directive, titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government,” defines sex as strictly male or female based on the “immutable biological reality of sex” characteristics at birth. Legal challenges are likely."
White text on a black background at the top of the image reads, "ICE Policy Restricting Arrests at Sensitive Locations Scrapped." Black text on a white background underneath reads: "Trump rescinded a policy not to arrest people without legal residency at or near sensitive locations, including schools, churches, and hospitals. A proposal to formalize such protections died in Congress in 2023. That’s meaningful because during Trump’s first administration, immigrants were arrested in hospitals and while receiving medical care. The move is intended to boost ICE’s authority to arrest immigrants nationwide."
White text on a black background at the top of the image reads, "Trump Pulls US out of Paris Climate Agreement — Again." Black text on a white background underneath reads: "Trump has argued that the accord, negotiated in 2015, is unfair to American businesses and the U.S. economy. Under the international climate accord, countries around the world agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming and forestall the worst impacts of climate change. The order, signed Monday, says the U.S. withdrawal is effective 'immediately' once notice is given, but the Paris Agreement itself says the process takes a year. "
White text on a black background reads, "KFF Health News will be tracking these health care changes and others. Follow us @kffhealthnews or visit kffhealthnews.org to stay up to date on the latest health care and health policy news."

From rolling back drug pricing policies to limiting gender-affirming care, President Donald Trump signed several health-related executive orders in the first hours of his second presidency. Here’s a roundup of the changes and what they mean.

This slide presentation first appeared on KFF Health News’ Instagram account. If you enjoyed this story from the KFF Health News social team, follow us on Instagram @kffhealthnews. 

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