Tom Howell Jr.

Obamacare website enrollment crests 7M as Feb. 15 deadline looms

Enrollment on the federal Obamacare exchange has reached 7.1 million, the Obama administration said Wednesday in a weekly report that warned last-minute shoppers to log onto HealthCare.gov before it's too late.

January 21, 2015

House Democrats launch bid to revive base after humbling midterms

Reeling from midterm elections that left them with a weak hand, House Democrats unveiled a task force Wednesday aimed at driving minorities and the rest of its base back to the polls.

January 21, 2015

Obamacare plays a bit role in State of the Union, even as it looms large in GOP agenda

This time, President Obama got his signature domestic achievement out of the way early.

January 20, 2015

Ron Johnson hopes for a better outcome in round two of Obamacare lawsuit

Sen. Ron Johnson is hoping a federal appeals court will breathe new life into his lawsuit over how Congress is treated under Obamacare.

January 20, 2015

Admin played favorites with contracting for faulty Obamacare website: report

The agency in charge of Obamacare didn't strategize wisely or look beyond existing government contractors before they doled out 60 contracts to build out HealthCare.gov, according to an inspector general's report Tuesday that sheds light on a federal project that stumbled out of the gate in fall 2013.

January 20, 2015

Sen. Orrin Hatch eyes every tool to take down Obamacare

Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch vowed Tuesday to chip away at Obamacare, "piece by piece," saying he hasn't ruled out the use of a powerful, yet complex, budget process to seriously dent the law.

January 20, 2015

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

January 12, 2015