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Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

**FILE** Sen. Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republican (Associated Press)

GOP senator sues over Obamacare subsidies for Congress

Sen. Ron Johnson said Monday he will ask the courts to make sure that Congress is treated the same way regular Americans are treated in the Obamacare marketplace, even if it means taking away his colleagues' health care subsidies, because the financial aid is not in the Obamacare law they passed in 2010 and forces taxpayers to pay for part of lawmakers' premiums.

January 6, 2014
FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2013, file photo, MNsure insurance exchange representatives Carlos Villanueva, left, and Emily Joyce prepare for the Oct. 1 open enrollment debut at the center in St. Paul, Minn. The federal government hasn’t released comprehensive data on how many people have signed up for health insurance in the 36 states using federally run exchanges, and in the 14 states running their own exchanges, lack of enrollment numbers also makes it hard to say if Obamacare is a success. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

Report: Obamacare may increase use of emergency rooms

By urging states to expand Medicaid, Obamacare may actually increase the number of people who will get medical care from emergency rooms, according to a new report Thursday that counters previous Obama administration claims that the Affordable Care Act would stem the need for emergency visits.

January 2, 2014
FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, file photo, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the difficulties plaguing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Experts say it will take at least a year for small businesses to know how the law and its computer glitches will affect them. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Sebelius touts Obamacare as ‘new day’

President Obama's top health official said Tuesday that 2014 marks a "new day in health care for millions of Americans," with more than 2 million people having enrolled in a private plan as of Saturday and nearly 4 million finding out they're eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program through the end of November.

December 31, 2013
President Barack Obama laughs as he is asked a question during an end-of-the year news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2013. At the end of his fifth year in office, Obama's job approval and personal favorability ratings have fallen to around the lowest point of his presidency. Obama will depart later for his home state of Hawaii for his annual Christmas vacation trip. It's the first time in his presidency that his departure plans have not been delayed by legislative action in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Sebelius: 2014 marks ‘new day’ for Obamacare

Brushing aside Obamacare’s ongoing problems, the president’s top health official said Tuesday that 2014 marks a “new day in health care for millions of Americans,” with more than 2 million people having enrolled as of Saturday and nearly 4 million learning in the first two months of the rollout that they’re eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

December 31, 2013
** FILE ** Marilyn Tavenner, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, before the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Enrollment on federal Obamacare market crests at 1 million

The Obama administration says more than 1 million people have signed up for private insurance through the federal marketplace, a December-heavy surge in enrollment following the disastrous launch of HealthCare.gov that began in October and bled into November.

December 30, 2013
** FILE ** In this Dec. 11, 2013, file photo, Rosemary Cabelo uses a computer at a public library to access the Affordable Health Care Act website, in San Antonio. The Obama administration says following a December surge, more than 1.1 million people have now enrolled for health insurance through the federal government's improved website. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Hypocrisy of the Left: Foes of Mitt Romney excuse endless Obamacare waivers

Little more than a year ago, the health care conversation was whether a potential President Mitt Romney could use executive powers to halt some or all of Obamacare. Now, it's President Obama himself who has made extensive use of those powers, leaving the GOP to accuse him and his defenders of hypocrisy.

December 29, 2013
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has backed religious freedom, but whether the Supreme Court would favor the rights of businesses in Obamacare's contraception mandate is difficult to determine. (Associated Press)

Supreme Court position on Obamacare birth control mandate a tough call

When the Supreme Court next year decides whether the Obama administration can force for-profit companies to insure birth control, the punditry around abortion or the "war on women" will be overshadowed by legal precedent and acts by Congress that weigh religious liberty against government mandates, legal scholars say.

December 25, 2013