December 15, 2008

Obama Appoints Tom Daschle to Helm Health Reform

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to head his new Office of Health Reform in addition to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—which overseas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies that directly impact the lives of HIV-positive people, the Los Angeles Times reports.

According to the article, Daschle is urging for an overhaul of the U.S. health care system, calling for a mandate that all Americans get health insurance. He also wants to create a public insurance program for people who do not receive or cannot afford private insurance. And he has expressed interest in forming a Federal Health Board, which would have the authority to set guidelines for what medical procedures and treatments are most cost-effective.

On December 11, Obama said that his administration will tackle health care reform, with Daschle leading the charge.

“It’s hard to overstate the urgency of this work,” Obama said. “Day after day, we witness the disgrace of parents unable to take a sick child to the doctor, seniors unable to afford their medicines, people who wind up in emergency rooms because they have nowhere else to turn.”

Search: Barack Obama, Tom Daschle, HHS, FDA, NIH, health care reform

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Previous Comments:

Rick, Kittanning,PA, 2008-12-18 09:31:11
I really don't care who is picked as long as more of all this money is used to help hear in the USA and less wasted on fat cats pockets that aren't putting the money to though of us that need help hear to live better and help with our bills for ret, heat, etc. Rick

wayne edward blake, madison, 2008-12-16 12:03:31
with this choice in reps for the national health reform how do americans stand on medical cannibus and does this also mean since he is also in charge of fda and nih will this mean he will have athority to finnaly reveiw the scientific studies and determine a better course of action to implement this new med into todays biased community?

Greg747, Patchogue, LI, 2008-12-16 11:50:13
If that is the best that Daschle can come up with, we're screwed. I just hope that he reverses the nightmare that Ryan White has become. Why do these geniuses complicate everything, please read House Resolution 676, Medicare For All Act. I'll bet if you do then you'll support it too!

John Russo, Sarasota, 2008-12-16 11:08:59
I am happy that the new administration is focusing on healthcare, period! One idea might be that persons on SSDI, that are able to work, but do not, in fear of losing thier medical coverage, are allowed to work. These people would not receive monetary benefits if it exceeds what their benefit is. The savings the Government would enjoy from those back to work, would be able to fund some of the others that do not have.

Greg in the Chicago burbs, Elgin, 2008-12-16 09:33:40
Its great that Daschle wants to mandate that all persons get health insurance. However he's out of touch with reality when its comes to persons who have HIV. Currently no insurance company will underwrite an individual policy if the person is positive. The only way to get insurance is through a group plan. And as companies tighten the belt it seems more and more they are dropping their group health insurance plans.