Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Ben Sasse honors Ebola doctor with State of the Union invite
A freshman senator will honor the doctors and nurses on the front lines of the Ebola outbreak by welcoming one of them as his guest Tuesday night at the State of the Union Address. Published January 20, 2015
Pro-Obamacare group maps out next phase of health care reform
A pro-Obamacare group released a roadmap Monday for the next wave of health reform, from expanding Medicaid in every state to extending dental coverage to all — presenting a progressive counterpoint to Republican lawmakers who want to replace the overhaul with market-driven reforms. Published January 19, 2015
CVS’ tobacco decision is paying off in more ways than one
CVS pharmacy's decision last year to pull tobacco from its 7,800 stores is paying off, business-wise, and now it's earned the chain's CEO a prime seat at Tuesday's State of the Union Address. Published January 19, 2015
Obamacare penalty may come as shock at tax time
Those Americans who didn't get health insurance last year could be in for a rude awakening when the IRS asks them to fork over their Obamacare penalty — and it could be a lot more than the $95 many of them may be expecting. Published January 18, 2015
Marilyn Tavenner, Medicare chief, steps down; took part health care rollout
Marilyn Tavenner, a key administration official who oversaw the wobbly rollout of Obamacare, announced Friday she will step down at the end of February. Published January 16, 2015
Hobby Lobby ruling on birth control doesn’t apply to religious groups, feds say
The Obama administration said Thursday that faith-based nonprofits should comply with Obamacare's birth control mandate because they enjoy much greater leeway than the corporations that sued and won before the Supreme Court last year. Published January 15, 2015
CDC: Flu vaccine is only 23 percent effective this season
This season's flu vaccine is effective against the virus only 23 percent of the time, a relatively low level of protection compared to years when the flu shot was better matched to circulating strains, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Published January 15, 2015
Sylvia Mathews Burwell to GOP-led Congress: Get over Obamacare, focus on common ground
President Obama's top health official said Thursday that millions of Americans now rely on Obamacare and it is time for Congress to move beyond attempts to dismantle the 2010 law. Published January 15, 2015
HHS makes last-minute Obamacare pitch to Hispanics
The administration urged Latinos Wednesday to beat the clock and get covered on Obamacare's exchanges within the next 30 days, citing health disparities among the fast-growing constituency and fixes to its Spanish-language website after a rocky first year. Published January 14, 2015
Enrollment on federal Obamacare exchange reaches 6.8 million
Obamacare enrollment on the federal exchange has reached nearly 6.8 million, according to administration data released Wednesday that has Florida leading the way with about 1.2 million signups. Published January 14, 2015
Bipartisan Senate group files bill to repeal Obamacare tax on medical devices
A bipartisan group of 10 senators introduced legislation to repeal Obamacare's tax on medical devices, a long-expected move from the Republican-controlled Congress because Democrats in certain states want to protect companies back home. Published January 13, 2015
Volunteer firefighter Obamacare mandate exempt under House-passed bill
The House voted Monday night to exempt volunteer firefighters and emergency personnel from Obamacare's insurance mandate on employers, a follow-up to a similar bill for veterans that passed unanimously last week. Published January 12, 2015
Anti-torture protesters interrupt Senate, are detained in handcuffs
Capitol Police detained a horde of anti-torture protesters who stood up and yelled from atop the Senate chamber during afternoon business Monday. Published January 12, 2015
Obama administration begins to issue vital Obamacare forms for tax filers
The Obama administration is sending out tax forms that Obamacare customers need to have in hand before they file their returns. Published January 12, 2015
Tom Price: Supreme Court could unravel Obamacare ‘pretty darn quickly’
A Supreme Court case that could cut off Obamacare's subsidies to 34 states presents a "great opportunity" for Republicans to unravel the contentious overhaul, Rep. Tom Price said Monday. Published January 12, 2015
House passes 40-hour workweek for Obamacare; Dems buck Obama veto threat
Congress took its first swipes at Obamacare on Thursday with the House approving a bill to cancel the law's 30-hour workweek provision, though only a dozen Democrats bucked President Obama on the vote. Published January 8, 2015
Senators slam White House threat to veto $53B Obamacare hours fix
Congressional lawmakers, including Democrats, rebuked the White House on Wednesday for refusing to allow tweaks to Obamacare, saying President Obama is reneging on his promise to work to fix problems in the law. Published January 7, 2015
HHS: Obamacare sign-ups hit 6.6 million
Nearly 6.6 million people selected health plans on the federal Obamacare exchange between Nov. 15 and Jan. 2, the Obama administration said Wednesday in its latest "snapshot" of activity in the law's second go-around. Published January 7, 2015
Republicans take aim at Obamacare 30-hour workweek
Republicans took control of Congress on Tuesday promising to whittle down Obamacare but still struggling to figure out how far to go — and whether any of their efforts can succeed with President Obama still in the White House. Published January 6, 2015
Obamacare vote to test Democrats’ resolve under Republican majority
Republicans took control of Congress on Tuesday promising to whittle down Obamacare but still struggling to figure out how far to go — and whether any of their efforts can succeed with President Obama still in the White House. Published January 5, 2015
