Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
GOP lawmaker: Best ‘fix’ for Obamacare is a mercy killing
A Louisiana Republican lawmaker is recommending that Kurt DelBene, the former Microsoft executive who will oversee the federal Obamacare website next year, should just advise President Obama to scrap his signature health care law. Published December 18, 2013
GOP, Dem lawmakers unite in call for women’s history museum
A pair of federal lawmakers said Wednesday the time has come to established a national museum dedicated to women's history. Published December 18, 2013
Priebus sees conservative activist groups as GOP ‘asset’
Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus said Wednesday he considers outside conservative groups to be an "asset" to the party, despite recent harsh criticism from House GOP Speaker John Boehner. Published December 18, 2013
Shock poll finding: I’m doing great, but the U.S. is going to hell in a handbasket
A new survey suggests many people think the country's problems do not translate into their own problems, with three out of four people saying they are dissatisfied with how the United States is doing while only one-fifth saying they're dissatisfied with their personal situation. Published December 18, 2013
5 million fall into Obamacare coverage gap
The Kaiser Family Foundation said Tuesday that roughly 5 million Americans will earn too much money to qualify for a government health-insurance program and too little to qualify for subsidized coverage under Obamacare next year. Published December 17, 2013
Microsoft’s Kurt DelBene to oversee Obamacare repairs, replacing Jeffrey Zients
President Obama's top health official said Tuesday she has selected a Microsoft executive Kurt DelBene to replace Jeffrey Zients to manage the troubled federal Obamacare website, acknowledging that HealthCare.gov still needs strict oversight. Published December 17, 2013
Rep. Steve Stockman: Give my campaign $10, and you’ll get an Obama barf bag
Rep. Steve Stockman, an outspoken Texas conservative who recently announced a bid for the Senate, wants supporters to chip in $10 for his campaign in exchange for an "Obama barf bag." Published December 17, 2013
Expert: Obamacare ‘death spiral’ fears exaggerated
A new report says is it important that younger Americans enroll in the new insurance markets tied to Obamacare, but fears of a "death spiral" for the new law if they don't may be overblown. Published December 17, 2013
Administration cites Obamacare boost for seniors
The Obama administration said Tuesday more than 25 million people on traditional Medicare received at least one free preventive care service during the first 11 months of this year because of the new health care law. Published December 17, 2013
Obama meets with tech executives from Apple and Google
President Obama's meeting Tuesday with executives from tech companies such as Apple and Google will focus in part on the flawed rollout of HealthCare.gov, the federal web portal tied to Obamacare. Published December 17, 2013
Administration sees Obamacare progress, but deadlines loom
One week from a key deadline, health officials said Monday the federal Obamacare website is working consistently but they are still working to smooth out bugs and make sure enrollee data are reported accurately. Published December 16, 2013
OBAMASCARE: Huge premium hikes rock employer-insured workers
While most of the early Obamacare rollout problems have focused on the uninsured and those who get their policies through the individual market exchanges, more than 150 million Americans who get coverage through their employers are likely to feel the fallout as well. Published December 16, 2013
In rare bipartisan move, Congress tackles long-standing Medicare issue
Capitol Hill lawmakers took a bipartisan stride Thursday toward solving a festering problem in American health care — how to pay doctors through Medicare. Published December 12, 2013
White House improvises again on patchy Obamacare rollout
The Obama administration changed the new health care law in midstream once again Thursday, this time by tweaking deadlines and leaning on the good graces of insurers to help people who risk losing health coverage in the new year. Published December 12, 2013
Key Obamacare official: Last two months much harder than anyone hoped
A key player in the new health care law's implementation opened a summit among America's health insurers on Thursday by admitting that Obamacare's rollout did not go as planned. Published December 12, 2013
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius calls for review of Obamacare rollout woes
President Obama's top health official said Wednesday she directed her agency's inspector general to investigate the flawed rollout of the federal website tied to Obamacare, which has cost $677 million and is gaining enrollees after an extensive effort to patch up software problems and add capacity. Published December 11, 2013
More than a quarter million sign up for Obamacare in November
Nearly 365,000 people selected a private health plan on state Obamacare markets through the end of November — a sign that people are flocking to the patched-up federal website, HealthCare.gov — although the new pace falls short of long-range projections for an inaugural sign-up period that ends in March. Published December 11, 2013
Harry Reid, David Vitter spar over Obamacare ‘exemptions’
Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana took the Senate's top Democrat to task on Tuesday, saying Majority Leader Harry Reid should disclose how he decided which of his staff should get their health insurance from the Obamacare exchanges. Published December 10, 2013
Oregonians likely to rely on paper Obamacare enrollment into January
The chief of Oregon's health exchange apologized Tuesday for its lackluster performance under Obamacare and said it will not have a high-functioning website until weeks into the new year, as officials plow through thousands of paper applications to get residents covered in time for Jan. 1. Published December 10, 2013
Oregon fails to sign up single person on health care website as states struggle
Some of the states that most enthusiastically embraced President Obama's health care law are now encountering some of the biggest glitches and organizational failures as the health insurance exchanges roll out. Published December 9, 2013
