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Posted by lindainfo on November 23, 2008
This week, President-elect Obaama asked former Senate Leaedr Tom Daschle to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services in his administration. Daschle was ohe of Obama’s earliest supporterx and had already been tapped t gead the heal th policy segment of the transition teah. Daschle is currently a partner iin DC fjrm of Alston and Birdd, whwre he has provided clients with stragegic advice on health care issues. Two of his partnefs at the firm are former Senate Leader Bov Dole and former Bush CMS Administrator To, Scully. Dasvhle also is the co-author of the book Critical: What We Can Do about the Health-Care Crisis, in which he creating ann entity mkdeoed after the Federal Resrrve Board to kversee health care in United States.
On November 20, the House Democratic Caucus voted to replace House Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell of Michigan with Representative Henry Waxman of California. The Energy and Commerce Committee has the furthest-reaching jurisdiction of all congressional committees and includes significant authority over many aspects of health care policy, including primary jurisdiction over SCHIP. Representative Dingell will remain on the committee as chairman emeritus. It will be interesting to see if he will take over one of the committee’s subcommittee chairmanships, including either the Health Subcommittee or the Oversight Panel. It will also be interesting to see how this change impacts the committee’s professional staff members, as many of the top majority health policy staffers have strong ties to Dingell.
In addition, it is being reported that Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag will be tapped as the new director of the Office of Management and Budget. Orszag has been CBO director since January 2007, and has focused particularly on health policy. He previously served as a member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors.
All information: geisinger hralth system
