Health reform office prescribed for HHS
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
President Obama orders the creation of the Office of Health Reform within the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with its counterpart office in the White House in developing and carrying out the president's health reform goals. The April 8 executive order adds that the health reform office will engage in public outreach, work with Congress and agencies to eliminate health care barriers and gather input on policy measures to meet the president's health care goals. Obama's health reform advisor, Nancy-Ann DeParle, leads the White House office, and congressional staffers say health policy expert Jeanne Lambrew will head the HHS office. Lambrew was slated to serve as Tom Daschle's deputy in the White House health reform office and has served at HHS since Daschle's withdrawal as HHS secretary-designate (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 23, 2009, p. 12)