Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Health care is top issue for midterm voters: Poll
Midterm voters are mostly likely to cite health care as a leading issue, according to a Thursday poll that bolsters Democrats' decision to focus on coverage and care but says immigration and polarizing views of President Trump are crowding the message out. Published October 18, 2018
Dianne Feinstein to back new Brett Kavanaugh investigation if Democrats take Senate
Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Wednesday she would support a new investigation into Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh should Democrats take control of the Senate in November's elections. Published October 17, 2018
Ebola in DRC not yet a global emergency: WHO
The World Health Organization on Wednesday said it is "deeply concerned" about the unfolding Ebola outbreak in a war-torn part of the Democratic Republic of Congo but it is not ready to declare it a global emergency. Published October 17, 2018
People more likely to forgo care in states that refused Medicaid expansion: Gov’t study
Poor adults in states that refused to expand Medicaid are more likely to say they've gone without needed medical care than those living in states that snapped up federal dollars to extend coverage, a government watchdog said Monday. Published October 15, 2018
Big pharma says it will disclose more about drug costs
The Trump administration said Monday it will force drug makers to disclose the list price of medicines in their television ads, setting up a clash with the pharmaceutical industry, which is resisting such open disclosures. Published October 15, 2018
Dianne Feinstein on track to win re-election bid in California
Republicans accused her of dirty tricks while the far left said she'd gone soft, but campaign watchers say Sen. Dianne Feinstein emerged mostly unscathed from the Supreme Court fight and is still on track to win re-election. Published October 14, 2018
Obamacare enjoys resurgence under Donald Trump
Obamacare, a program that President Trump last year declared "dead," is enjoying quite the afterlife, with insurers expanding their offerings and the average premium finally beginning to drop, albeit slightly, from astronomical levels. Published October 11, 2018
Key Obamacare rates to drop slightly in 2019
Premiums for key health plans will drop by an average of 1.5 percent on the federal marketplace in 2019, the Trump administration said Thursday, heralding an "especially gratifying" end to years of eye-popping hikes on HealthCare.gov. Published October 11, 2018
Democrats’ bid to scuttle Obamacare change defeated
President Trump blasted Democrats on Wednesday for trying to overturn his administration's push to give consumers an off-ramp from Obamacare, warning that their defense of the 2010 law is a path to government-run socialized medicine. Published October 10, 2018
Donald Trump signs bipartisan bills to boost drug-pricing transparency
President Trump signed a bill Wednesday forbidding "gag clauses" that prevent pharmacists from telling customers they can save money in some cases by paying cash for their prescriptions, instead of relying on their insurance and making the co-payment. Published October 10, 2018
GOP defeats bid to cancel expansion of Obamacare-evading plans
Senate Republicans turned back a Democratic bid Wednesday to kill President Trump's plan to expand the sale of health plans that fall short of Obamacare's rules, saying Americans who buy insurance on their own need more options, not fewer. Published October 10, 2018
Donald Trump trashes ‘Medicare for All’ as doorway to socialist America
President Trump pronounced in an op-ed Wednesday morning that a centrist Democratic Party no longer exists and accused liberals of pursuing socialism with their "Medicare For All" plan. Published October 10, 2018
Democrats to try to force vote on Trump roll back of Obamacare insurance rules
Democrats will force a vote in the Senate on Wednesday to try to roll back President Trump's plans to approve sales of health insurance that falls short of Obamacare's standards, hoping to get back on track after the bruising Supreme Court fight. Published October 9, 2018
Paul Ryan: GOP has kept promises, deserves 2019 majority
Take-home pay is rising while unemployment falls, the military is getting stronger and help is on the way for Americans ensnared by addiction to opioids, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Monday, making the case for Republicans to retain control of Congress as he heads for the exits. Published October 8, 2018
Obamacare defenders say Justice Brett Kavanaugh could determine fate of law
A pro-Obamacare group wasted little time Monday in linking Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court and the fate of the health care law, saying a ruling that strikes down its popular protections for sicker Americans is right around the corner and that Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is to blame. Published October 8, 2018
Scientists look to non-addictive treatments for chronic pain
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health are "very optimistic" that sweeping opioid legislation moving through Congress will help them get moving on non-addictive treatments for pain, as the federal government tries to rein in the nationwide overdose crisis. Published September 30, 2018
Major opioids bill clears House ahead of midterms
Sweeping legislation to combat the opioids crisis hopped closer to President Trump's desk Friday, as House lawmakers voted to expand Medicaid funding for treatment, spur the development of non-addictive painkillers and empower inspectors to root out deadly fentanyl from overseas. Published September 28, 2018
House marks one-year anniversary of Steve Scalise’s return with applause
The House marked the one-year anniversary of Majority Whip Steve Scalise's return to Congress from a life-threatening shooting with hugs and high fives on Friday. Published September 28, 2018
Obamacare premiums drop for first time
Average premiums for key Obamacare benchmark plans are set to drop for the first time in the program's history, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Thursday, challenging Democrats' claims that the Trump administration had "sabotaged" the law. Published September 27, 2018
Trump admin. ramps up attacks on ‘Medicare for all’
The Trump administration cranked its criticism of "Medicare for all" to full blast Thursday, saying a government health plan would wipe out choices and expose patients to the whims of Washington. Published September 27, 2018
