Millions to lose coverage during the ‘unwinding’

STARTING in April millions of families could see their health coverage disappear as the government unwinds pandemic-era policies.

During 12 months after April 1, 2023, between 15-18 million Americans will lose health coverage provided during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

“Through COVID legislation, states have mostly kept people covered through Medicaid without interruption in exchange for an increase in their Medicaid federal matching funds,” says Farah Erzouki, Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). She spoke to reporters during an Ethnic Media Services briefing cosponsored by CBPP last week.

When that program ends, so will the continuous coverage requirement, and all 89 million Medicaid enrollees will have to

by PIA LEE-BRAGO, RALPH EDWIN VILLANUEVA Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines has granted the United States military access to four more sites, the defense chiefs of the two countries said on Thursday, February 2, amid mounting concern over China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea and tensions over self-ruled Taiwan. Washington would be given access to four more locations under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation

Agreement (EDCA), Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez and visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a joint news conference.

During Austin’s courtesy call at Malacañang earlier on Thursday, President Marcos emphasized that the U.S. will always be involved in the future of the AsiaPacific region.

Austin, who was in the Philippines for talks as Washington seeks to extend its security options in the country as part of efforts to deter any move by China against Taiwan, described Manila’s decision as a “big deal” as he and his counterpart reaffirmed their