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Bingaman replaces Clinton on health panel

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor December 15, 2008 12:40 PM

In one of the dominos to fall with Senator Hillary Clinton's selection as secretary of state, Senator Edward M. Kennedy's office announced today that Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico will replace her as head of a key committee working group on healthcare reform.

Clinton, who failed to push through universal healthcare coverage as first lady in 1993, was picked by Kennedy last month to lead the working group on insurance coverage for Health, Education, and Labor Committee led by Kennedy. But then President-elect Barack Obama tapped her to be the nation's top diplomat.

Bingaman is the only Democrat with seats on the Health panel and on the Finance Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, the two major government health insurance programs.

A second working group, led by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, will work on prevention and public health. And a third, led by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, will work on improvements in the quality of care.

Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, has made healthcare his signature issue for when the new Congress convenes in January.

Kennedy had rejected a request from Clinton to also make her chairwoman of a new subcommittee to help lead the health reform effort on Capitol Hill, a move that would have jumped her over several other senators with more seniority.

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