Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - President Barack Obama has apparently confirmed to many who he will nominate to be the head of both Medicare as well as Medicaid.

President Barack Obama is fully expected to nominate none other than Dr. Donald M. Berwick to be the head of both programs.

This was originally reported on by the New York Times and has since been confirmed by various other sources in the media.

Medicare and Medicaid are two of the government’s biggest programs, and together they serve over 30% of the entire U.S. population, so we are talking tens of millions of people here when you break it all down.

The expectation is that Dr. Berwisk will work to push Medicare and Medicaid to new heights, allowing people to get better and more efficient care.

This will be the first to be at this position since Dr. Mark B. McClellan stepped down back in late 2006, so this is a position that has been unfilled for quite some time now.

The announcement is expected to be made shortly as this is a done deal it appears.

Medicare and Medicaid are at the center of the new health initiative.