Senate Republican Hearing on Donald Berwick’s Leadership of CMS
I wanted to make sure you knew that Senate Republicans will be holding a hearing tomorrow, September 23 at 2:00 PM in room Dirksen G-11 examining Dr. Donald Berwick’s leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), charged with implementing major portions of the health care law. The hearing comes after Finance Committee Chairman Baucus declined to respond to requests for a hearing, and Dr. Berwick declined Republicans’ invitation to ask Chairman Baucus for an opportunity to testify.
While Dr. Berwick wrote much about health care transparency while serving as CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, his record in his current position has fallen short of his prior rhetoric. Since his controversial recess appointment in early July, Dr. Berwick:
- “Exited behind a stage” at a July press event on health IT regulations before the media were allowed to ask questions, according to Inside Health Policy;
- Declined to participate in an August conference call with reporters to discuss a report on Medicare’s solvency;
- Declined to participate in the release of the annual Medicare trustees report;
- Declined to respond to interview requests from both the New York Times and Congressional Quarterly;
- Declined to remain on an August conference call “to take questions from reporters,” according to The Hill; and
- “Left without taking questions from reporters” after delivering a speech to health insurance executives and lobbyists last week.
Following Dr. Berwick’s speech before the health insurance lobby last week, a reporter from Human Events asked him a series of questions about his prior writings on rationing. Dr. Berwick ignored those queries, and an Administration official accompanying Dr. Berwick responded solely that “He’s not taking any questions.”
The Administration has previously pledged “an unmatched level of transparency, participation, and accountability.” Tomorrow’s hearing on Dr. Berwick’s background and role in implementing the 2,700 page health care law is intended to provide that transparency and accountability.