Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
HHS launches office to enforce religious-freedom laws
The Trump administration launched a division at the Health and Human Services Department on Thursday to protect doctors and medical providers who object to participating in abortions and assisted suicide on religious or moral grounds. Published January 18, 2018
Senate Finance panel advances Trump’s HHS pick Alex Azar
The Senate Finance Committee advanced Alex Azar's nomination to lead the Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday, nearly four months after President Trump's first secretary resigned amid questions about his pricey business travel. Published January 17, 2018
Uninsured rate rose in Donald Trump’s first year: Gallup poll
An estimated 3.2 million Americans became uninsured during President Trump's first year, Gallup said Tuesday in a survey that says rising premiums, declining competition in Obamacare markets and confusion over the GOP's repeal plans drove the losses. Published January 16, 2018
Obamacare enrollment volunteers seek uninsured in blue regions
While Obamacare enrollment is a distant memory in much of the country, the bluest areas are still hitting the pavement. They have sign-up periods well beyond the six-week enrollment that President Trump allowed for the 39 states that rely on the federal HealthCare.gov site. Published January 15, 2018
Trump administration OKs Medicaid overhaul in Kentucky
The Trump administration on Friday said Kentucky can require Medicaid recipients to work as a condition of coverage, barely pausing for a breath after it laid out a welcome mat Thursday for states that want to force able-bodied people off the rolls unless they find jobs, volunteer or meet other conditions. Published January 12, 2018
FDA: Risks of cold meds with opioids outweigh benefit for kids
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said children should no longer ingest cold-and-cough medicines that contain opioids. Published January 11, 2018
Trump admin. offers roadmap for Medicaid work requirements
The Trump administration on Thursday followed through on its promise to "turn the page" in doling out Medicaid benefits, releasing new guidance on how to require able-bodied recipients to seek work or new skills as a condition of their taxpayer-funded coverage. Published January 11, 2018
Puerto Rico launches vocal bid for statehood
Weary of their "colonial" status, a delegation of Puerto Ricans marched on Capitol Hill Wednesday to demand statehood, saying the island territory pays taxes and serves in the military but is being short-changed by federal programs and lacks the political clout to recover from crises like Hurricane Maria. Published January 10, 2018
Democrats demand $25B in opioids funding amid shutdown talks
Senate Democrats pressed GOP leaders to free up $25 billion over two years to combat opioids addiction, laying down a new marker ahead of final negotiations over a major spending package this month. Published January 9, 2018
CDC to Dems: We don’t ban words, though try to avoid some
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn't ban any words under President Trump but directed staff to avoid words like "vulnerable," "diversity," and "entitlement" in budget requests, the agency told Senate Democrats. Published January 9, 2018
Alex Azar, HHS pick, cautious on drug price jawboning
Powerless to stop his nomination, Senate Democrats on Tuesday attacked President Trump's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department for his tenure at a major pharmaceutical company, saying he oversaw dramatic price hikes without ever blessing a decrease. Published January 9, 2018
Donald Trump, GOP seek actions to undercut Obamacare
President Trump and his GOP allies are charting a new course in their push to undercut Obamacare, kicking off 2018 by eyeing actions the administration can take on its own, while avoiding a messy congressional fight ahead of the November elections. Published January 8, 2018
Pro-Obamacare group attacks HHS pick before hearing
A pro-Obamacare group told senators to reject President Trump's nominee to lead the Health and Human Services Department in an ad Monday that says Alex Azar will quarterback renewed efforts to gut the 2010 law. Published January 8, 2018
CDC to hold roundtable on health response to nuclear attack
Federal agencies this month will hold a roundtable on how to respond a nuclear attack as part of a regular series on public health, raising eyebrows as President Trump needles North Korea over his "bigger and more powerful" nuclear-launch button. Published January 5, 2018
New ads pressure Congress to scrap medical-device tax
One of Obamacare's more hated taxes came roaring back in 2018 after Congress failed to delay the medical device tax in its year-end legislating, sparking a backlash from the industry which demanded lawmakers put it at the front of their 2018 to-do list. Published January 5, 2018
Trump administration releases initial details on association health insurance sales
The Trump administration proposed regulations Thursday that would allow people in similar lines of work to band together and purchase health plans across state lines, part of its bid to get around Obamacare after repeal efforts failed. Published January 4, 2018
Doug Jones, Tina Smith sworn into the Senate; Republicans hold 51-seat majority
Two new Democrats were sworn in as senators Wednesday, narrowing the GOP's majority to 51-49 and creating more urgency for Republican leaders saying they want to reach for bipartisan accomplishments in the second year of the Trump administration. Published January 3, 2018
Pain pill limits, live-stream attack penalties among new laws for 2018
Those who record or live-stream attacks will face tougher penalties in California, dry cleaners in Illinois will think twice before charging women more than men and New York will launch "the nation's strongest" paid family leave program as the calendar flips to 2018. Published December 31, 2017
Weather Channel tweaks Trump for ‘global warming’ tweet
The Weather Channel threw shade at President Trump on Friday for conflating a spate of cold weather in the eastern U.S. with the broader effects of climate change in his tweet about "that good old global warming." Published December 29, 2017
CDC paper: Few schools use proven programs to combat obesity
Hardly any U.S. public schools are implementing evidence-based programs to combat obesity despite the substantial amount of research that's gone into developing them, according to a paper published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published December 28, 2017
