Daschle Playing Role Of Adviser, Expert In Health Reform Debate

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 22 May 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Even after withdrawing his nomination as HHS secretary, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) has remained involved in the health reform debate, USA Today reports. According to USA Today, his "[m]ost important" action has been participating in private meetings on health reform with members of Congress. Daschle is a co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center, which is scheduled to release its own reform plan in June. He also has called "for action in a campaign-like circuit of speeches," wrote an opinion piece supporting a public health plan and was named to the board of General Electric's new initiative to reduce medical costs by $6 billion, USA Today reports.

Daschle works for Alston & Bird, a law firm that lobbies on behalf of more than a dozen health companies, including CVS Caremark, according to Senate lobbying disclosure statements (Fritze, USA Today, 5/21).

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