Dr. Donald Berwick, President Obama’s recess-appointed administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, may be the least accountable federal agency head. The Republican Study Committee’s chairman, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., wants to change that.
The RSC web site points out the many ways Berwick has and continues to avoid answering questions about how he is doing his job:
* Berwick’s recess appointment ensured he never faced questions in a Senate confirmation hearing.
* Berwick regularly refuses to take questions from the media.
* Berwick did not testify at a single congressional hearing until last month. Even then, Republicans were not given enough time to question Berwick about his views on health care rationing.
* At that hearing, Berwick indicated he would meet with any member of Congress who asked. Yet nearly three weeks later, he has still not responded to a letter from RSC Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) requesting such a meeting.
* Tomorrow, Berwick will take part in a closed-door meeting (read: no public questions) with lobbyists from various health care groups.
Berwick’s continued evasion of accountability for his views and conduct as an Obama political appointee really is quite extraordinary, as described by the RSC:
“Donald Berwick oversees a larger chunk of federal spending than the Pentagon. Just imagine the outcry if the Secretary of Defense talked about troop rationing in combat, never had a single confirmation hearing, refused to talk to the press, held closed-door meetings with lobbyists, and ignored inquiries from members of Congress.”
For more from the RSC, go here.
