Health Highlights: Nov. 19, 2008

Nov. 20 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Former Senate Leader Tom Daschle Offered HHS Post: Reports

President-elect Barack Obama has settled on former Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to published reports.

Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, was an early and close adviser to Obama during the just-concluded presidential campaign. He recently wrote a book on his ideas to improve health care, and is working with former Senate leaders on recommendations to improve the health-care system, the Associated Press reported.

If his nomination is approved by the Senate, Daschle would lead a department with a budget this year of $707.7 billion, and nearly 65,000 employees spread across 11 divisions. He would be responsible for the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the Food and Drug Administration, public health programs and the National Institutes of Health, the Washington Post reported.

Daschle has emerged as Obama's main adviser on efforts to expand health-care coverage, while at the same time lowering costs. During the campaign, Obama promised to reduce the average family's medical bill by $2,500, according to the Post.

Besides health reform, the next HHS secretary will have to manage the growing budgetary problems facing some of the nation's most important health agencies. For instance, years of funding that didn't keep pace with inflation means the National Institutes of Health has lost 14 percent of its buying power, said Dr. Harold Varmus, NIH's former director and a science adviser to Obama's campaign. That has left promising disease research without money to move forward, the AP said.

Daschle has already been chosen to head the Obama transition team on health policy, the Post said.

"Clearly, Daschle getting this appointment means the Obama administration is strongly committed to making health care reform an early and top priority," said Ron Pollack, executive director of the health advocacy group Families USA.