The measures, which fall far short of a comprehensive proposal, come less than six weeks before the presidential election and serve as a political play to shore up concerns at a swing state event. Democratic nominee Joe Biden has already committed to making health care a focal point of the rest of his campaign, highlighting Trump's actions to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and the unprecedented protections the law already provides for people with pre-existing conditions.

The President is also looking to shift attention away from criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 200,000 Americans have died from the virus over the past six months.

The first executive order will state that it's US policy that people who suffer from pre-existing conditions will be protected, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a call with reporters.

The President and Republican lawmakers have repeatedly said they will safeguard these Americans, even as they try to tear down the Affordable Care Act that already protects them. Azar declined to specify how the administration would guarantee these protections if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark health reform law in a case it will consider this term.

The second executive order directs Congress to pass legislation to address surprise medical billing by the end of the year, and if lawmakers don't achieve this, Azar will seek to do so via executive or regulatory action.

Trump already called for an end to the practice in a 2019 speech and in his State of the Union address earlier this year. Though lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree, legislation has been stymied by differing views on who should cover the tab -- insurers or providers.

The orders are the latest health care-related actions Trump has taken in recent weeks as he seeks to take back control of the issue from Biden. Health care rocketed into the spotlight again with the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, which heightens the uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act's fate in the nation's highest court. The justices will hear oral arguments on a case seeking to take down the law on November 10, one week after the election. The Trump administration has asked the court to invalidate Obamacare.

Though the President has repeatedly promised to roll out a health care proposal, the administration has decided to bill the wide variety of measures Trump has taken as his vision.

Azar and other administration officials ticked off a long list, including efforts to broaden less-expensive alternatives to the Affordable Care Act, to require hospitals to disclose prices they negotiate with insurers and to improve Americans' kidney health. They emphasized that Americans insured through Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act policies have seen premiums drop and the choice of plans increase under the President's watch.

Protecting those with pre-existing conditions

The Affordable Care Act's protections for those with pre-existing conditions have proved among its mo

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