President-elect Barack Obama’s plans of reforming the U.S. health care system passed an important milestone as an important group of doctors, a labor union, the drug industry and health insurance industry gave him the vote of confidence. However, the way the country’s 44th President intends to change the health care system has drawn harsh criticism as well.

Mr. Obama’s intentions of expanding government health insurance to compete with private health insurance drew criticism from a leading Senate Republican and this while the hearing of former Senator Thomas Daschle to head the Health and Human Services Department.

According to Senator Micahel Enzi, any new insurance coverage must be delivered through private insurance plans. On the other side, Mr. Daschle underlined the fact that in order to better the health care system, “consensus” will be needed.

Mr. Daschle added that he is ready to work together with each of the members of the panel in order to improve a health care system that costs $2.6 trillion a year but still leaves 45 million people without health insurance and does not have the outcome of other highly developed countries which spend much less on health care.

Mr. Daschle mentioned in his speech that working close with all parties involved will help him avoid the mistakes made back in 1995 when then-first lady Hillary Clinton failed to reform the health care system due to opposition from the health insurance industry. An alliance of health insurers then launched a campaign to emphasize the health reform as unnecessary "big government" interference.

In heavy contrast to that reform attempt, on Thursday, six organizations launched a campaign to support the efforts made to reform the system.

“We need input and involvement and engagement,” Daschle responded when Mr. Enzi asked him about moving health-care changes through Congress.