Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
HealthCare.gov maintains strong start to sign-ups, hitting 2.3M
Obamacare's brisk start to 2018 enrollment continued for a third week, as sign-ups climbed to nearly 2.3 million and continued to outpace last year's round, though not fast enough to expand the program's pool of customers over the full season. Published November 22, 2017
Lisa Murkowski supports repealing Obamacare mandate
Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she supports repealing Obamacare's individual mandate to hold insurance, giving a notable thumbs up to a contentious piece of President Trump's tax overhaul, though she stopped short of a full endorsement of the tax plan. Published November 22, 2017
FDA pushes companies to develop opioids that resist abuse
The Food and Drug Administration issued guidance Tuesday to push drugmakers to craft cheaper generic painkillers that are more difficult to snort, inject or otherwise abuse than standard opioids. Published November 21, 2017
White House says opioid epidemic even worse than thought
The opioid crisis is killing thousands more Americans than previously thought and cost half a trillion dollars in 2015, the Trump administration said Monday in a report that recalculated the toll of prescription-drug and heroin abuse. Published November 20, 2017
5 million will decide they no longer want free government health care if Congress scraps Obamacare
Five million people will decide they no longer want free government health care if Congress scraps Obamacare's individual mandate that currently forces them to obtain coverage, says the Congressional Budget Office. Published November 19, 2017
Americans to blame Republicans for Obamacare dip: Poll
Half the public will blame President Trump and Republicans if Obamacare enrollment dips this year, according to a nonpartisan poll that says more Americans are holding the GOP responsible for the law's fate than Democrats who crafted and passed the stumbling program. Published November 17, 2017
Obamacare signups reach nearly 1.5M, still outpace last year after Week 2
Nearly 1.5 million people selected an Obamacare plan during the first two weeks of enrollment, the Trump administration said Wednesday, as sign-ups continued to outpace last year, suggesting surprising strength for the embattled health law. Published November 15, 2017
State AGs ask Congress to repeal law that ‘hamstrung’ DEA’s opioids fight
Nearly every state attorney general in the country wants Congress to repeal a 2016 law that reportedly made it "virtually impossible" for the Drug Enforcement Administration to suspend orders of narcotics that could fall into the hands of corrupt doctors or illicit pharmacies. Published November 14, 2017
Donald Trump nominates Alex Azar, former Bush official and drug company exec, to lead HHS
President Trump announced Monday he is nominating a former drug company executive who also served in the Bush administration to lead the Health and Human Services Department. Published November 13, 2017
Health care voters reverse Republican election momentum
Seven years after Obamacare crushed Democrats at the ballot box, the party is using health care to launch a revival, saying President Trump and congressional Republicans are paying a price for their fumbled repeal effort and will sink further next year. Published November 12, 2017
Kellyanne Conway, White House counselor, downplays Trump’s ‘short and fat’ tweet at Kim Jong-un
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Sunday said President Trump was "responding the way he does to somebody who insulted him first" when he slammed Kim Jong-un's appearance on Twitter. Published November 12, 2017
Democrats offer solution to Roy Moore: Vote for our guy for Senate in Alabama
Senate Democrats urged Alabama voters on Sunday to avoid the chaos and just vote for their guy for the Senate. Published November 12, 2017
Top House tax-writer won’t accept plank of Senate tax-cut plan
The House's main tax-writer said his chamber won't accept a Senate plan to eliminate a property tax deduction that's critical for states like New York and California, underscoring the thorny path Republicans face in settling on a final product by Christmas. Published November 12, 2017
Roy Moore, U.S. Senate nominee, should drop out of Alabama race, Sen. Pat Toomey says
A tide of Republicans are distancing themselves from Roy Moore, the GOP nominee for the Senate in Alabama, or urging him to drop out of the race without delay, saying they're unswayed by his rebuttal to claims that he pursued relationships with teen girls during his 30s. Published November 12, 2017
Former intel chiefs John Brennan, James Clapper unload on Donald Trump
Former intelligence chiefs said Sunday it is "astounding" that President Trump refuses to forcefully condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin over findings that Moscow interfered in last year's election. Published November 12, 2017
Trump admin. reports 600K Obamacare signups in first four days
More than 600,000 people selected an Obamacare plan during the first four days of enrollment, the Trump administration said Thursday in a report indicating the law is holding its own even as the White House plots its demise. Published November 9, 2017
Obamacare plan better deal than mandate tax for many uninsured: Study
More than half of the 10.7 million Americans who are uninsured and eligible for an Obamacare plan could pay less in premiums than what they would owe under the "individual mandate" tax for shirking coverage, nonpartisan policy analysts said Thursday. Published November 9, 2017
Terry McAuliffe: Virginia will be next state to expand Medicaid
Virginia will be the next state to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, Gov. Terry McAuliffe predicted this week, saying the massive wins by Democrats in the commonwealth on Tuesday make it all but certain the GOP will have to cave on its long-standing opposition. Published November 8, 2017
CBO: Repealing Obamacare mandate saves $338B
Repealing Obamacare's mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance would save the federal government $338 billion over the next decade as 13 million people would forgo coverage, freeing the government from having to subsidize them, scorekeepers said Wednesday in an analysis could reshape the Republican push to overhaul the tax code. Published November 8, 2017
Maine voters opt to expand access to Medicaid
Voters in Maine opted Tuesday to join dozens of states that have expanded Medicaid coverage under Obamacare, delivering a high-profile endorsement of taxpayer-funded coverage even as President Trump tries to dismantle the 2010 health care law. Published November 7, 2017
