Medicare chief resigns after political standoff

WASHINGTON - The point man for carrying out President Barack Obama's health care law will be stepping down after Republicans succeeded in blocking his confirmation by the Senate, an official said Wednesday.

Medicare chief Don Berwick, a Harvard professor widely respected for his ideas on how to improve the health care system, became the most prominent casualty of the political wars over a health care overhaul law whose constitutionality will be now decided by the Supreme Court.

Berwick's Dec. 2 resignation was confirmed by a senior congressional official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of an announcement by the administration. He will be replaced by his principal deputy, Marilyn Tavenner, formerly Virginia's top health care official.

Forty-two GOP senators - more than enough to derail Berwick's confirmation - had announced their opposition to his nomination months ago. That started a countdown on his temporary appointment, scheduled to run out at the end of the year.

Berwick's statements as an academic praising Britain's government-run health care had become a source of controversy in politically polarized Washington. Although he later told Congress that "the American system needs its own solution" and Britain's shouldn't be copied here, his critics were not swayed.

A pediatrician before becoming a Harvard professor, Berwick has many admirers in the medical community, including some former Republican administrators of Medicare. His self-styled "triple aim" for the health care system includes providing a better overall experience for individual patients, improving the health of groups of people such as seniors and African-Americans, and lowering costs through efficiency.

But some of his professorial ruminations dogged him in Washington. Republicans accused him of advocating health care rationing, which Berwick denies.

As Medicare chief, Berwick oversaw the drafting and rollout of major regulations that will begin to reshape the health care system, steering Medicare away from paying for sheer volume of services and procedures and instead putting a premium on quality care that keeps patients healthier and avoids costly hospitalizations.

Berwick turned 65 this year, making him the first Medicare chief eligible to be enrolled in the program. He told The Associated Press he was putting in his application, but that he intends to keep working to improve the nation's health care system.

[moretruthnow]

That is all it takes for the GOP. You are very qualified, very intelligent and would be great at the job so you are not going to get any job in this administration. It is always political and anti-American tactics from the GOP against the good of Americans who would benefit from improved health care availability.

[usunus]

It appears the word " Harvard " itself has become so toxic !

[gep1955]

I have heard Berwick ontape say he sees rationing care as a way for social health care systems to operate. Google dental care in England, you'll be appalled.

[forrestt56]

The presidents health reform plan will make health care more affordable, hold insurers more accountable, expand coverage to all Americans and make our health system sustainable. Anyone who says anything else is ill-informed or a liar.

[gep1955]

You are among the ill-informed then. Buried in the 2300 pages of laws are mandates that will forever bankrupt your kids and the country.

[moretruthnow]

Well said forrestt56. The right wing republicans of dishonest and hatefilled propaganda against better care for this nation get their facts from Fox where everything is backwards, upside down and never the truth.

[marychgo]

In a classic case of historical deja vu, the Republicans are just begging us to rename them for a 19th century American party: the Know-Nothings. Berwick was a supremely qualified candidate for his position but, like most of Obama's judicial nominees, the GOP senators had to block him because he actually knew something about the job he was nominated for. Like candidate Cain ("we need leaders, not readers"), the Republicans have a real aversion for knowledge and understanding. (So, by the way, do many of the commenters above, who wouldn't recognize marxism if it jumped up and hit them in the face....)

[actornaught]

by RickChicago1 November 25, 2011 1:54 AM EST..."...Excellent health care is by definition redistributional."...openly calling for Marxist style economics...
...

Dumb. Do you really think an Insurance Pool is about Marxism?

Dumb dumb.

[actornaught]

Shameless republican obstructionism, plain and simple.

[moretruthnow]

Nothing but thuggery from the GOP against the middle class and against decent leadership. The republican party are rotten to the core. Nothing good and decent remains with any right wing people.

[ruffiannd]

That's right GOP.. reload and shoot yourself in the other foot. Nice.

[RickChicago1]

All one needs to do is to go back and pull out the quotes from Obama and his socialist friends. The Liberal Media does want to so American patriots must. This is how Donald Berwick looks at medical care. This following quote is from him two short years ago. "'Any health care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized, and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional."

So once again we find ANOTHER Obama Appointee openly calling for Marxist style economics. And people wonder why business is sitting on their money?? With the Socialist In Chief squatting in the Oval Office business is CLEARLY under attack.. Actually our entire economic system is under attack from Obama. He wishes to create a European Socialist style democracy here. And we can clearly see how well it is working out for Greece, Spain, Italy ,Ireland , Portugal etc as their economies stagnate and fall under the failed Leftist policies.....

[moretruthnow]

There is nothing marxist, communist, or any other ridiculous lie of the right wing that would make republicans anything but liars, haters, attackers, and evil when the Democrats work for the good of all.

[jimbom121]

Well, since these Republicans have voted to Kill medicare, is this a surprise?

[retm-w]

Thats because the gop only cares about big business, not the average American.

[RickChicago1]

Once again the Left is rewriting history.
It was Obama and the Democrats who stole 500 Billion from medicare.
Here is a Congressional testimony from Health and Human Services Director under Obama (Kathleen Sebelius) saying that the Dems are lying and they took 500 billion out of Medicare.