Last week, President Obama decided to recess appoint Dr. Donald Berwick to run the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The White House claimed Republicans were blocking his nomination, but that was impossible given the fact no confirmation hearing had ever been scheduled. The New York Times even pointed out, “The recess appointment was somewhat unusual because the Senate is in recess for less than two weeks and senators were still waiting for Dr. Berwick to submit responses to some of their requests for information.” The President clearly was trying to avoid an inevitable major uproar on Capitol Hill over Dr. Berwick’s radical views on health care.

In a 2008 speech, Dr. Berwick said, “I am romantic about the (British) National Health Service; I love it. All I need to do to rediscover the romance is to look at health care in my own country [America].” As head of the CMS he would have broad powers to implement his radical views of the role government in our health care system.

Berwick also believes a single payer system is the best way to push his ideas on the rest of us and that rationing care is necessary. "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care -- the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open,” he said.

According to Dr. Berwick, the purpose of a health care system isn’t just to provide care; it “must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional.”

After bypassing the Senate in his initial appointment, it was surprising news to find out the President has sent Dr. Berwick back to the Senate for confirmation. There are two possible explanations. First, the President saw the bipartisan opposition to his appointment and wanted to avoid another major controversy. When news arrived of the recess appointment, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) said, "Dr. Berwick is a self-professed supporter of rationing health care and he won't even have to explain his views to the American people in a congressional hearing. Once again, President Obama has made a mockery of his pledge to be accountable and transparent."

And Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who is in charge of scheduling the confirmation hearings said, “I’m troubled that, rather than going through the standard nomination process, Dr. Berwick was recess appointed. Senate confirmation of presidential appointees is an essential process prescribed by the Constitution that serves as a check on executive power and protects Montanans and all Americans by ensuring that crucial questions are asked of the nominee – and answered.”

Following the recess appointment, every Republican on the committee signed a letter to Senator Baucus demanding Dr. Berwick should be subject to a formal confirmation hearing.

Second, by appointing Dr. Berwick initially, he would only be able to serve a year and a half in that position before having to go back to the Senate for confirmation for a second term. Since Republicans are poised to gain back seats in the Senate and a year and a half isn’t a long enough time for Dr. Berwick and the President to achieve all of their radical plans for our health care system, the President most likely wants to take the opportunity now to keep Dr. Berwick in power as long as possible.

Senators have a major opportunity now to show the American people how dangerous Dr. Berwick is to our health care system. The fact that the President appointed him to this position is yet another indication of where our President stands on what he thinks is “health care reform.” Be sure to follow this closely. We need to inform the American people of Dr. Berwick’s true intentions to our health care system.

Letter to Senator Baucus