Berwick in the Bunker at CMS?
You may have seen the National Journal report that CMS officials “called hotel security” to help Administrator Donald Berwick leave a speech he gave today without answering questions from reporters. While the article notes Dr. Berwick’s “refusal to talk to the media has become more common,” his non-transparency has remained consistent over the nearly five months since his controversial recess appointment. Since that time, 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;
- “Left without taking questions from reporters” after delivering a speech to health insurance executives and lobbyists;
- Declined to answer a series of questions from a reporter about his prior writings on rationing; an Administration official accompanying Dr. Berwick responded solely that “He’s not taking any questions;” and
- Failed to deliver the “point-by-point rebuttal” to his critics previously promised at his (VERY brief) Finance Committee hearing last month.
As the New York Times article previously noted, Dr. Berwick’s agency “finances health care for one in three Americans and has a budget bigger than the Pentagon’s.” Yet Dr. Berwick refuses to answer questions from reporters about his history of controversial writings – and except for a very short and orchestrated appearance before the Finance Committee, has yet to receive much substantive scrutiny from Congress as well. Is this pattern of conduct consistent with the Administration’s promise of “an unmatched level of transparency” in government?