UPDATED: 12:16 p.m.

Democratic officials say former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The appointment has not been announced, but these officials say the job is Daschle's barring an unforeseen problem as Obama's team reviews the background of the South Dakota Democrat. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorize to discuss the matter publicly.

Obama's transition team has already announced that Daschle will oversee Obama's health policy group. It's working on proposals and plans for action for the next administration.

The former South Dakota senator recently wrote a book on his proposals to improve health care.