Upshot: End of Surprises (for Most Bills)

Also: Covid's rise among various groups

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 30, 2021 Annie Mulligan for The New York Times A New Ban on Surprise Medical Bills Starts This Week If you have a medical emergency, you will no longer need to worry about a large bill from a doctor you did not choose. By Margot Sanger-Katz Why Covid Death Rates Are Rising for Some Groups Since vaccines became widely available in April, nearly 250,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the United States. Their demographics are different from earlier in the pandemic. By Denise Lu and Albert Sun Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Feedback For suggestions on how we can improve this newsletter, write to theupshotnewsletter@nytimes.com. If you have a compelling data set you'd like us to pursue, send it to dear.upshot@nytimes.com. WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS See Where 12 Million U.S. Employees Are Affected by Government Vaccine Mandates A New York Times analysis shows that thousands of public employees in every state are subject to federal, state or city vaccine mandates — but these requirements have not provided a significant boost to overall vaccination rates. Omicron Drives U.S. Virus Cases Past Delta's Peak Cases are shooting up, I.C.U.s are stretched thin and booster vaccinations are lagging. Signs point to an intense winter wave in the United States. By Lauren Leatherby, Charlie Smart and Amy Schoenfeld Walker How Full Are Hospital I.C.U.s Near You? See how many Covid-19 patients are being treated, and how many I.C.U. beds remain available, at individual U.S. hospitals. By Matthew Conlen, John Keefe, Albert Sun, Lauren Leatherby and Charlie Smart IN CASE YOU MISSED IT The Year in Charts Ten charts that defined our year. 2021 N.F.L. Playoff Picture: Each Team's Playoff Chances An interactive calculator that lets you explore every team's path to the N.F.L. playoffs. By Josh Katz, Kevin Quealy and Rumsey Taylor Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Upshot from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018