New rules aim to make foster care with family easier, provide protection for LGBTQ+ children
The Biden administration is moving to make it easier for caregivers to take in family members in the foster care system, requiring states to provide them with the same financial support that any other foster home would receive.
Biden administration announces $600M to produce COVID tests and will reopen website to order them
The Biden administration has announced that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household.
US will regulate nursing home staffing for first time, but proposal lower than many advocates hoped
An association that lobbies for health care facilities says President Joe Bidenโs decision to require nursing homes to comply with federal rules on staffing levels will cost them billions of dollars.
Marijuana recommendation from Health Dept. hailed by senators as first step to easing restrictions
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has delivered a recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration on marijuana policy, and Senate leaders are hailing it as a first step toward easing federal restrictions on the drug.
Judge limits Biden administration in working with social media companies
A judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies about โprotected speech,โ a decision called โa blow to censorshipโ by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling.
Justice Department appeals Texas abortion pill order
The Justice Department is appealing a Texas court ruling that would halt approval of a drug used in the most common method of abortion in the U_S_ In its appeal Monday, the Justice Department called the decision โextraordinary and unprecedented.โ.
White House promises crackdown on migrant child labor
The Biden administration says it is creating a new task force to crack down on an explosion of the illegal exploitation of migrant children for labor in the U.S. Hundreds of companies that employed nearly 4,000 children last year were found in violation of federal labor laws, a dramatic increase in the last five years.
Biden's realism approach runs head-on into liberal pressure
When it comes to the thorniest issues confronting his administration, the instinct from Biden and his White House is to often speak about what he canโt do, citing constraints imposed by the courts or insufficient support in a Congress that is controlled by his own party.
U.S. Department of HHS secretary reveals action plan to protect womenโs access to reproductive health care in response to SCOTUS decision
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra held a press conference on Tuesday to announce an action plan in response to the Supreme Courtโs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
US boosts monkeypox testing, 142 cases confirmed
The Biden administration has started shipping testing kits for monkeypox to commercial laboratories, in a bid to speed diagnostic tests for suspected infections for the virus that has already infected at least 142 people in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending tests to commercial labs, including Aegis Science, Labcorp, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics and Sonic Healthcare, which it said would significant expand the nationโs health systemโs capacity to...
The AP Interview: Health chief warns of COVID funds shortage
With the nation yearning for a new normal after its long struggle with the coronavirus, U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra is warning that vaccines, tests and treatments will be โstuck on the groundโ unless Congress provides additional funds the White House has demanded.
A retro feel to Biden's plan for covering OTC virus testing
The Biden administrationโs plan for health insurers to reimburse consumers for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests is recalling the model of a bygone era when the companies processed large volumes of claims from individuals โ with paper receipts.
Federal government announces funding for emergency contraception for Texans impacted by near-total abortion ban
The Biden administration also issued memorandums detailing two federal statutes officials says they would enforce to provide protection for patients who may need an abortion and health care providers who assist pregnant patients in certain situations.
As variant rises, vaccine plan targets โmovable middleโ
Thrown off-stride to reach its COVID-19 vaccination goal, the Biden administration is sending A-list officials across the country, devising ads for niche markets and enlisting community organizers to persuade unvaccinated people to get a shot.
The Latest: Washington Gov criticized for reopening plan
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is receiving criticism from lawmakers in his own party over his shifting economic reopening plan, with a group of Democrats from the stateโs second most populous county threatening the possibility of a special legislative session.