Press Releases • Jul 2010 • Government Programs • Medicare • National Health Systems • Rationing

Obama's Berwick Appointment Shows Lack of Transparency

(St. Paul/Minneapolis) - In response to today's recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Twila Brase, RN, PHN, president of Citizens' Council on Health Care, provides the following statement:

"We are disappointed that President Obama chose to avoid the transparency of the Senate confirmation process for his Medicare nominee.

"Dr. Berwick's oft-stated affection for England's socialized medicine system and its rationing body, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), is controversial and of great concern to the American people.

"Medicare provides health care for 43 million recipients today and 77 million babyboomers to come. Prior to being appointed, the American people deserved a chance to hear how Dr. Berwick would use his regulatory authority to make funding and treatment decisions impacting millions of Americans dependent on Medicare and Medicaid."