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Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr. covers politics and the White House for The Washington Times. He can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter said that a state-built health exchange is the best option for Idaho, though he left the final decision up to the state legislature, which convenes in January. Nearly half of the states, however, will not be setting up their own exchanges. (Associated Press)

Idaho moving forward with state-run Obamacare exchange

Officials in Idaho say they're undaunted by the well-documented failures of Obamacare exchanges in neighboring states and are moving full-steam ahead with plans to launch their own web portal this November. Published May 26, 2014

**FILE** Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, speaks Sept. 4, 2013, with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Associated Press)

Sen. Chris Murphy slams states that will not expand Medicaid

Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat and the Senate's top cheerleader for Obamacare of late, said millions more Americans could be covered if Republican-led states decided to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Published May 22, 2014

Sylvia Mathews Burwell, President Barack Obama’s nominee to become secretary of Health and Human Services, appears before the Senate Finance Committee for her confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 14, 2014. Burwell has found favor with both Republicans and Democrats in her current role as the head of the Office of Management and Budget and would replace Kathleen Sebelius who resigned last month after presiding over the Affordable Care Act and its problematic rollout. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate panel easily approves Obama pick to head HHS

The Senate Finance Committee sent Sylvia Mathews Burwell's nomination to head the Health and Human Services Department to the full chamber Wednesday, clearing the way for President Obama's budget chief to become the new face of Obamacare and oversee an agency responsible for about $1 trillion in federal spending. Published May 21, 2014

The HealthCare.gov website is shown on a laptop in Washington, Monday, March 31, 2014. Today is the deadline to sign up for private heath insurance in the online markets created by President Obama's heath care law or face a federal fines. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

Nevada to ditch state-run exchange for HealthCare.gov

Nevada has decided to use the federal Obamacare exchange for at least the next year, joining the ranks of states that will ditch their own portals after a rocky first round of sign-ups. Published May 20, 2014

Rep. James Lankford won the Republican nomination race to replace retiring Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Lawmakers worry that Medicare fraud crackdown has gone astray

The Obama administration's efforts to crack down on bogus Medicare payments have ended up sweeping in too many "good actors" who get ensnared in a costly and tedious appeals process, House lawmakers said Tuesday. Published May 20, 2014

** FILE ** Sylvia Mathews Burwell, President Barack Obama’s nominee to become secretary of Health and Human Services, appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for her confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 8, 2014. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate panel set to vote on Obama’s HHS pick Wednesday

The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote Wednesday on President Obama's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department — a job that comes with the political burden of rolling out Obamacare. Published May 20, 2014

Gov. Steve Beshear, Kentucky Democrat, told The Washington Times in January the success of his state's Obamacare exchange was a result of extensive testing and a clean website design that forsook bells and whistles in favor of convenience. Kentucky was one of four states that relied on Deloitte Consulting for its exchange and enjoyed a relatively smooth rollout. (Associated Press)

Deloitte’s Obamacare exchange success gains attention

The Obamacare rollout last fall was a well-documented disaster in many places, leading states and the federal government to drop their contractors or withhold payment for their work. But in a noticeable pattern, state-run health exchanges managed by Deloitte Consulting emerged relatively unscathed from the experience, and more are turning to the company for help. Published May 19, 2014

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) in his Capitol Hill Office, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 13, 2014. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Sen. David Vitter opposes Obama’s HHS pick

Just when it looked like no one would stand in the way of President Obama's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, a Louisiana senator said he will oppose her nomination until lawmakers are held to the same standard as regular folks who purchased health coverage on Obamacare's insurance exchanges. Published May 19, 2014

Rep. Diane Black, Tennessee Republican, speaks May 17, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Rep. Diane Black: Obamacare’s subsidy issue was predictable

Rep. Diane Black on Monday lambasted the Obama administration over a weekend report that says the government is issuing subsidies that are too high or too low to people who purchase health coverage under Obamacare. Published May 19, 2014

** FILE ** Gov. Mike Pence, Indiana Republican, said states need to have the "freedom and flexibility to craft policies" on CNN's "State of the Union." (Associated Press)

Heritage isn’t sold on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s Medicaid plan

The Heritage Foundation, a top conservative think tank, says they are disappointed with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's proposal to overhaul the state's Medicaid program, saying his consumer-oriented reforms are freighted with uncertainty and high costs. Published May 16, 2014