Medicare Director Won't Answer Questions From Senate

Donald Berwick, an advocate of health care rationing and redistributing wealth through the health-care system, who President Barack Obama appointed administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) without a Senate confirmation hearing or vote, will not answer questions from the U.S. Senate, according to members of the committee that has overisght over his nomination.

“We’ve been trying to get him to answer questions in writing. He won’t do that,” Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a member of the Senate Finance Commmittee, told CNSNews.com Thursday. “We’ve been trying to get him up for a hearing. He won’t do that. He has indicated he might come to a hearing. So far, it’s been unsuccessful, no matter how important these matters are.”

Bypassing the Senate to appoint Berwick during the July 4 congressional recess, Obama later re-nominated the outspoken physician to the position fifteen days later. That means the Finance Committee could hold a confirmation hearing on Berwick now and send his nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. But Hatch said the Senate Democratic majority has done nothing to advance the nomination, and Berwick has not been forthcoming with answers. Hatch predicted there will not be a confirmation hearing for Berwick before the election.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Finance Committee, also expressed frustration that Berwick again declined an invitation to answer questions from the Senate.

“We invited Dr. Berwick to appear at today’s forum, but as you can see, he chose not to attend,” Grassley said. “The administration has to go out of its way to have a nominee avoid the regular committee review of their nomination. That begs the question, why did the administration go out of its way for Dr. Berwick? By avoiding the committee’s questions and refusing to share important information, the legitimacy and authority of Dr. Berwick to serve as administrator is called into question.”
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