News Release

PRAISE FOR SEBELIUS, DEPARLE FROM CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE CO-DIRECTOR ROGER HICKEY

Encouraged That Obama Is Moving Quickly On Health Reform, Progressives Hail Choice Of HHS Secretary And White House Health Reform Office Director

WASHINGTON – Campaign for America’s Future co-director Roger Hickey congratulated President Obama today on his choice of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kansas, to be secretary of health and human services and Nancy Ann DeParle to be director of the White House Office for health Reform. Hickey praised the president’s plan to make a choice of public health insurance the cornerstone of his reforms, noting that it is critical for the economic recovery of the country and the health and financial security of every one in America.

STATEMENT OF ROGER HICKEY

America voted for change last year and President Obama’s nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of health and human services – and Nancy Ann DeParle for director of the new White House Health Reform Office – will put us on the path to guaranteeing quality affordable health care to all in America.

Gov. Sebelius has proven she understands the importance of health care to every American. As governor, she called for universal health care and facing a state budget shortfall, she managed to cut about $300 million while sparing the state’s health programs like Medicaid services. She has also demonstrated a willingness to take on insurance company special interests. As the Kansas insurance commissioner for eight years, she took on the health insurance industry and won, blocking further consolidation of the health insurance market in the state.

Nancy Ann DeParle, with her experience in state health programs and as director of the Health Care Financing Administration in President Clinton’s administration, clearly has the experience and health care expertise to help the president win what the American people voted for – quality affordable health care for all.

These nominations, combined with the health reserve fund President Obama has requested in his budget and the health summit he has planned for this week, make it clear that he has every intention of keeping his campaign promise to make reforming our ailing health care system a priority in his administration. That promise includes the creation of a new public health insurance option, which would compete on a level playing field with the private insurance companies to reduce costs, drive value and provide guaranteed back-up coverage to everyone in America.