Obama orders health insurance for government's seasonal firefighters

President Barack Obama has ordered his administration to offer health insurance to seasonal firefighters employed by the U.S. government, after an outcry over the lack of affordable coverage available to thousands of such workers. Obama's directive, confirmed by the White House on Tuesday, capped a 2-month-old electronic petition drive started by a member of a U.S. Forest Service "hot-shot" crew based in South Dakota that has drawn more than 125,000 signatures. No details were given, but a formal announcement of the policy change was expected soon, a White House official told Reuters. In the meantime, Obama has instructed the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Interior Department and the Agriculture Department -- parent agency of the Forest Service -- to "ensure temporary federal firefighters who are bravely battling fires have access to the health insurance they deserve," the official said...more