Daschle given 2 health roles, 1 big assignment

   
Obama on Thursday announced Daschle, the former Senate majority leader, as his health and human services secretary and director of a new White House office on health reform.

In previous administrations, the White House and not the Cabinet agency has led attempts to expand coverage, potentially at the expense of the health secretary's decision-making power.

Daschle's joint appointment "ensures that there is one primary voice speaking on behalf of the president when it comes to health care reform," said Chris Jennings, who was Bill Clinton's senior health care adviser. "Both in the Bush and in the Clinton administrations, there was a question about who was talking for the president and what level of authority they have. This resolves it from day one."

Introducing Daschle at a Chicago news conference, Obama stressed the link between reviving the economy and making health coverage more affordable and accessible to more people.

"If we want to overcome our economic challenges, we must also finally address our health care challenge. I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort," Obama said of the ex-senator from South Dakota.
   
Daschle, 61, said he believes fixing health care - expanding coverage, improving quality and slowing costs - is the nation's biggest domestic policy challenge.

"We have the most expensive health care system in the world, but are not the healthiest nation in the world," Daschle said. "Our growing costs are unsustainable, and the plight of the uninsured is unconscionable."
   
Ron Pollock, who backed Clinton's health overhaul attempts in 1993, said the new office for Daschle is a practical move, not a symbolic one. Pollock said HHS played a supportive role, but the White House called the shots.
   
"Now you've got that integrated in one person who has the full confidence of the president-elect, and is well liked and respected in Congress where the reform debate is taking place," said Pollack, executive director of Families USA, which advocates for universal
health coverage.

Thomas Miller, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said he cannot recall another Cabinet secretary taking on such twin roles. He said titles come and go, but at the end of the day, it's people working 15 hours a day in the West Wing of the White House where most of the decisions are made.

"It's structurally difficult," Miller said. "But he's trying to make sure he's not cut out of the action."