'' he said . `` If we do nothing , we 'll be paying twice as much on health care in 10 years as we do today . '' Daschle served as Democratic leader in the Senate from 1995 until he lost a re-election bid in 2004 . Representing South Dakota , he was first elected as a congressman in 1978 and served in the House until he was elected to the Senate in 1986 . He recently wrote a book on health care titled `` Critical : What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis . '' In the book , he pushed for universal health care coverage to reach 46 million uninsured Americans by expanding the federal employee health benefits program to include private employer plans together with Medicaid and Medicare . Most Republicans oppose any such plan , saying it would give too much power to the government . They 've also questioned Daschle 's recent work for a Washington lobbying firm . His wife , Linda Daschle , is a registered lobbyist for a firm that includes health care clients . But a source close to Daschle told CNN that Linda Daschle would be leaving
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Sen. Tom Daschle will be announced Thursday as President-elect Barack Obama 's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a Democratic source said Wednesday . Former Sen. Tom Daschle , shown with his wife , Linda , says he will write Obama 's health care plan . CNN has previously reported that the 61-year-old former Senate majority leader from South Dakota would be Obama 's choice , but not the announcement date . In November , Daschle said he was excited about the possibility of serving as point person in Obama 's effort to change the nation 's health care system . Daschle is on the health care advisory group of Obama 's transition team and said he plans to write the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year . `` I hope to have the plan enacted by next year , and then it will take several years to implement , '' Daschle said last month . Daschle said reforming health care in the United States must be a priority in the current economic climate . `` We ca n't afford not to do it ,