Denies by Donald Berwick recess appointment was the GOP political points

Donald Berwick was appointed by President Obama to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) when Congress is in recess. Berwick’s recess appointment means that politicians are deprived of an opportunity to weigh in once again on the health care reform bill that passed earlier this year. The administration says the recess appointment of Berwick helps move heath care reform along without Republican obstruction. Republicans think it is just an attempt at hurting Berwick's record. Berwick, who’s a professor at Harvard Medical School is being vilified by Republicans despite the fact that he has the support of virtually the entire health care industry.

Article source: Donald Berwick recess appointment denies GOP political points by Personal Money Store

To lead Medicare overhaul is Donald Berwick
Donald Berwick’s recess appointment happened since the White House said the new health care reform law calls for many new changes in Medicare and Medicaid, which insure nearly one-third of all Americans. Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, told the New York Times that the president decided to act because “many Republicans in Congress have made it clear in recent weeks that they were going to stall the nomination as long as they could, solely to score political points.”

Backed by Bush appointees is Berwick

In April, Donald Berwick was nominated to lead CMS. The agency didn't have a permanent administrator since October of 2006. The Washington Post said Berwick is the perfect choice to oversee a Medicare/Medicaid budget of $800 billion — about one-third of all health-care spending. He is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on improving health care quality when saving money. Two CMS administrators appointed by George W. Bush back the nomination, also as the American Hospital Association, the AARP, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and also a list of local medical groups.

Obstruction by republicans bypassed

Despite his credentials, Republicans are planning use Donald Berwick’s nomination to whip up partisan furor over “Obamacare.” The Associated Press reports that Republicans, who use “rationing” as a code word to discredit health care reform, have seized on comments like one Berwick made to an interviewer last year: “The decision is not whether or not we will ration care, the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open. And right now, we are doing it blindly.” Berwick also drew Republican anger for praising Britain’s National Health Service.

Idea to ration health care revisited

The Post that has some of Pat Roberts of Kansas are trying to twist these statements. ”Dr. Berwick is the perfect nominee for a president whose aim has always been to conserve money by rationing health care,” Mr. Roberts explained on the Senate floor last month. The Associated Press article stated when it comes to the rationing issue; Republicans argue that Berwick would deny needed care based upon on cost. Supporters argue rationing already is done by insurance companies, and Berwick wants transparency and accountability in medical decisions.

Find more information here:

New York Times

thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/obama-bypassing-congress-on-medicare-job/

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062804675.html

Associated Press

hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_HEALTH_CARE_APPOINTMENT?SITE=WNYC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT