Wednesday's podcasts stories
Taking on the debt ceiling with a trillion dollar coin
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned in a letter to lawmakers on Tuesday that the federal government will run out of money to pay its bills as soon as Dec. 15 if the debt ceiling is not suspended or raised.
One idea to ensure the government does not default, even if the debt ceiling is not raised, is to mint a trillion-dollar coin. Yellen has called this a gimmick, but some economists insist it’s a legitimate finance trick that can be used to stave off a default.
Axios Re:Cap host Felix Salmon is joined by former U.S. Mint Director Philip Diehl to discuss the idea behind the trillion-dollar coin and whether it’s remotely likely to be minted in the next month.
Migrants trapped at the Poland-Belarus border
Tensions are rising in Eastern Europe, on the border between Belarus and Poland. Yesterday, Polish police began using water cannons and tear gas against people trying to cross into the country. For weeks now, thousands of migrants from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have been waiting at the border in an attempt to enter the European Union, in what EU leaders are calling a manufactured crisis.
- Plus, the latest on treating COVID with a pill.
- And, the International Olympic Committee takes on gender identity.
Guests: Axios' Zach Basu, Tina Reed, and Ina Fried.
Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Julia Redpath, Alexandra Botti, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Alex Sugiura, Sabeena Singhani, Lydia McMullen-Laird, David Toledo and Jayk Cherry. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at [email protected]. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893.
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Pfizer agrees to licensing deal for COVID-19 pill
Pfizer announced on Tuesday it will allow low and middle-income countries to make and distribute the company’s COVID-19 pill inexpensively. The move is an attempt to increase the global supply in 95 poorer nations.
While the deal helps treat patients, the company has not made the same decision when it comes to its COVID-19 vaccine.
Axios Re:Cap host Felix Salmon is joined by Axios health care business reporter Bob Herman to discuss Pfizer’s decisions and the global ramifications.
Out-of-network costs spin out of control
People who have health insurance but get sick with diseases that require out-of-network care can face staggering costs.
- Plus, the future of at-home COVID testing.
- And, Florida’s special legislative session against mask and vaccine mandates.
Guests: Axios' Bob Herman, Kia Kokalitcheva and Selene San Felice.
Credits: Axios Today is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Julia Redpath, Alexandra Botti, Nuria Marquez Martinez, Alex Sugiura, Sabeena Singhani, Lydia McMullen-Laird, and Jayk Cherry. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at [email protected]. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893.
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