WASHINGTON — Nearly three weeks after a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, spewing toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil, Biden officials are racing to find answers on how the disaster happened. But it’s also unclear what happens next for thousands of Ohioans who could now be sick — and who covers their care.
Ohio lawmakers from both parties have already demanded that Biden health officials step up their response and ensure health care through an obscure provision of the Affordable Care Act that promises Medicare to Americans exposed to certain environmental health hazards. But legal experts tell STAT that it seems unlikely that the provision would apply here and totally unclear how Ohioans would go about getting it.