Effective today, federal law bans many types of out-of-network medical bills and puts the onus on doctors and health insurance companies to resolve their payment disputes.
Why it matters: Consumers can breathe a sigh of relief because, in many scenarios, they should no longer face unexpected charges from doctors who are not in their insurance networks.
The pandemic that never seems to end will likely dominate our attention in 2022, along with President Biden's struggling agenda and Donald Trump's continuing hold over the GOP.
Here’s what else Axios’ newsletter authors and expert reporters will be watching — from interest rates to Big Tech scrutiny to whether last year's climate pledges will lead to meaningful action this year. (Sign up for their newsletters here.)
The omicron variant and winter storms are prompting fresh waves of U.S. flight cancelations heading into the New Year's holiday weekend.
Driving the news: More than 1,300 domestic flights scheduled for Friday have been cancelled as of 11:30 a.m. on Friday, per FlightAware's latest tally of flights into the U.S., departing or within the country.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday told travelers that more flights may be delayed due to the nationwide spike in Omicron cases that has led to staffing shortages, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Driving the news: Multiple airlines, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Jet Blue Airways, have had to cut more than 4,000 flights due to staffing challenges in the last week because of the surge in COVID-19 cases.
The South African government lifted most of its COVID-19 restrictions Thursday, including a midnight to 4am curfew, with officials saying the country has "passed the peak of the fourth wave" driven by the Omicron variant.
Why it matters: South Africa alerted the world to the Omicron variant in November and has been the worst-hit country in Africa, per Reuters.
