President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Senator Tom Daschle for Secretary of Health and Human Services, putting a very hard job on the shoulders of the former senator. The decision was applauded by many, as Daschle is known for being a very capable politician, an excellent negotiator and he is also very experienced. Daschle’s job will be to deliver what Obama promised in his electoral campaign, a healthcare make-over and affordable care for everyone.

The situation is pretty grim right now, as 15% of Americans can’t afford health insurance, which means that 46 million people are afraid of getting sick because they don’t have the money to be treated.

It is very interesting, how will Daschle manage to lower costs for health insurance as the financial crisis is still affecting the country and causes a lot of damage. One possible method will be by removing the tax cuts from the Bush administration.

 Some argue that the US cannot afford at this moment to resuscitate the health care system, as the financial crisis is very severe. On the other hand, a good counter argument could be that people are getting sicker and sicker while prices for treatments and health care are getting higher and higher. This should be the first priority, the health system.

Daschle was very well received by the industry and The American Medical Association, proving that he might just be the man for the job, as he enjoys a great deal of respect on Capitol Hill.