US announces expansion of COVID-19 emergency flexibilities to additional federal student loans in default
FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, flags decorate a space outside the office of the Education Secretary at the Education Department in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden has chosen the education commissioner for Connecticut and a former public school teacher to serve as education secretary. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON โ On Tuesday, the US Department of Education announced an expansion of the pause on federal student loan interest and collections to all defaulted loans in the Federal Family Education Loan Program. This action will help more than one million additional borrowers burdened by debt during the COVID-19 pandemic. Related: DeVos suspends federal student loan payments through January 2021
Macomb County Health Department expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine
Macomb County Health Officer Andrew Cox said this is the next step to ensure all vulnerable population groups can have safe access to the vaccine right here at home. DETROIT โ On Saturday, the Macomb County Health Department announced the expansion of priority groups eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. โWe are encouraged to see a number of positive trends with our vaccination strategy here in Macomb County,โ said Macomb County Executive, Mark Hackel. Flashpoint 3/14/21: Energy secretary Jennifer Granholm, county leaders to weigh in on crucial issuesAdMacomb County Health Officer, Andrew Cox, said this is the next step to ensure all vulnerable population groups can have safe access to the vaccine. Michigan announced Friday that all residents age 16 and up will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, nearly a month before the May 1 date pledged by President Joe Biden.
Obama's Medicaid expansion keeps gaining ground under Trump
President Donald Trump is still trying to overturn Obamacare, but his predecessor's health care law keeps gaining ground in places where it was once unwelcome. Missouri voters this week approved Medicaid expansion by a 53% to 47% margin, making the conservative state the seventh to do so under Trump. The six states where voters have approved Medicaid expansion in the Trump years are Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Utah. In Virginia, the legislature passed a Medicaid expansion after Democrats made political gains. In Missouri, support for Medicaid expansion in cities and suburbs overcame opposition in rural communities.