Daschle to Head Duel Health Care Posts in Obama Administration

Laura Meckler reports on the transition. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is being named to duel posts this morning: secretary of health and human services, and head of a new White House office on health reform, giving him a prominent perch for a major push for health care legislation. For Daschle, the double duty is meant to avoid the scenario that unfolded in the Clinton administration, where the White House took the lead on health reform and left Donna Shalala , who was HHS secretary, largely on the sidelines. The announcement comes at a news conference in Chicago today at 10 a.m. CT. Presumably Daschle will have to spend some of his time on the ins and outs of the mammoth agency, which includes Medicare, Medicaid, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, programs for children and families, among others. During those times, his eyes and ears at the White House will be Jeanne Lambrew , who is to ... (link)