Fresh off his European trip to discuss foreign affairs, President Barack Obama returned home this week to address a huge domestic problem that was a cornerstone of his presidential campaign: health care.
Obama took a big step today in improving the health care system in the country by issuing an executive order establishing the new White House Office of Health Reform.
The objective of the office is to implement the agenda of the president in expanding and improving health care in America, according to The Washington Post. Among the many responsibilities of the office will be to reach out to state and local officials and work with Congress to enact health reform.
"Reforming the health care system is a key goal of my administration. The health care system suffers from serious and pervasive problems; access to health care is constrained by high and rising costs; and the quality of care is not consistent and must be improved, in order to improve the health of our citizens and our economic security," read the executive order.
The office will be exclusively attached to the executive branch and will be headed by Nancy-Ann DeParle, a former Clinton administration official. DeParle has a very unique job compared to the other cabinet posts. She will not have to testify in front of Congress for her position.
