President Obama announced the recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to be the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, bypassing what looked like a lengthy fight to have the nominee confirmed by the Senate.
In making the appointment, which has been vacant since 2006, the president said in a statement, “It's unfortunate that at a time when our nation is facing enormous challenges, many in Congress have decided to delay critical nominations for political purposes.”
Dr. Berwick said he was flattered that the president had appointed him to head the CMS, especially at this time. “I have never felt more excited about what is possible for what we all care about—a healthier nation, a healthier system of care, and a healthier world,” he said in a statement. “In moving to CMS as a member of a strong governmental team, I will pursue those aims as hard as I can.” Dr. Berwick is president and CEO of the Cambridge, Mass.–based Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
The American College of Physicians President J. Fred Ralston Jr. said that “Dr. Berwick's career and work at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement illustrates the drive to provide patient-centered care, patient safety, quality improvement, and care coordination in health care.” Dr. Ralston added that the ACP believed that “Dr. Berwick will be an able administrator and partner for change.”
Others also leaped to support Dr. Berwick. “Don has dedicated his career to engaging hospitals, doctors, nurses and other health care providers to improve patient care,” American Hospital Association President Rich Umbdenstock said in a statement.
In a statment, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) chided Republicans for their “lockstep stalling” of Dr. Berwick's nomination, and praising him for his assistance in overhauling the Massachusetts health care system.
“He's first rate all the way, and throughout Massachusetts's landmark health reform, Don was there, helping lead our state to the highest rate of health care coverage in the nation,” according to Sen. Kerry.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), however, was scathing in his reaction to the appointment, calling Dr. Berwick “one of the most prominent advocates of rationed health care.”
“Democrats haven't scheduled so much as a committee hearing for Donald Berwick but the mere possibility of allowing the American people the opportunity to hear what he intends to do with their health care is evidently reason enough for this Administration to sneak him through without public scrutiny,” Sen. McConnell said in a statement.
Under the Constitution, the president nominates individuals to serve in high-level government positions; those individuals must then be confirmed by the Senate. However, the Constitution also allows the president to make such appointments without Senate confirmation if Congress is in recess, as it was for the Independence Day holiday.
Dr. Donald Berwick has been a leader in health care quality improvement.
Source Courtesy Institute for Healthcare Improvement