Natalie Gonnella
Donald Berwick, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, testified today for the first time before the Senate Finance Committee (his full opening statement is available here). Controversially appointed to his position by President Obama while the Senate was in recess this summer, Berwick defended the Administration's new health care law, saying that with regard to Republican calls for its repeal, he "[couldn't] think of a worse plan."
Irritating GOP members of the Committee with his lack of preparation to their questions, as well as the circumstances of his appointment, Berwick was met with opposition and frustration:
- "[Iowa] Senator Charles Grassley called Berwick’s recess appointment “incredibly unfortunate” (LA Times).
- “For this $800 million agency, the President just recess appointed you," Utah Republican Orrin Hatch said, adding that Berwick could be 'the most important man in America' on health care"(Reuters). Also aggravated with the time limit of the session, Hatch commented that “asking us to cover all our concerns in this hour-long hearing with only five minutes per side, per person, is like asking us to drain the Pacific Ocean with a thimble. This cannot simply be a check the box exercise…I want to know what's going on. I want answers to my questions. This is pathetic'" (AOL News).
- "Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky scolded Berwick, saying: ‘Your recess appointment was an end-run around Congress… I can assure you won’t receive special treatment next year…I expect you’ll be spending a lot of time before the House of Representatives’” (The Note on ABC News).
Yesterday, Representative and soon to be House Speaker, John Boehner filed a legal brief, challenging the constitutionality of the health care law. Adding to an ever increasing list of GOP opposition to the measure, Boehner commented that:
ObamaCare is a job-killer, and our economy simply cannot afford this unprecedented, unconstitutional power grab by the federal government...that is why Republicans will continue standing with the American people and fighting to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with better solutions put forth in the Pledge to America to lower health care costs and protect American jobs. (The Note on ABC News).
Today may have been Berwick's first congressional appearance, but it is quite apparent that he will be making others very soon.
