Debates are taking place around how the border is being handled. Texas and Missouri are calling on the Biden administration to reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy. The states accuse Biden’s team of stalling, after the Supreme Court ordered the policy to be restarted last month. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton writes, “I have already sued this administration and won—yet they still think they are above the law and can continue shirking their responsibilities.” The policy requires some people seeking asylum to stay in Mexico while they await immigration proceedings. The administration says there have been delays in restarting the program.
The debate around booster shots continues. Millions of Americans are now eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot, despite the FDA and CDC advisory panel being divided over the issue. CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky diverged from the agency’s independent vaccine advisers, recommending boosters for a broader group of people—those 18- to 64-years-old who are at an increased risk of COVID-19 because of their workplaces or institutional settings, along with older adults, long-term care facility residents, and some people with underlying health conditions.
What’s the cost of COVID-19 hospitalizations? The non-profit group Fair Health found the average hospital bill is $75,000, after looking at insurance claims. After price negotiations, the average allowed amount actually paid by patients and in-network insurance providers is more than $33,000 for a general COVID-19 hospitalization and about $98,000 for a more complex hospitalization.
Tune into Deep Dive as we explore these topics and more.
