The Berwick Evasion
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial titled thusly does an excellent job explaining both why Dr. Berwick’s recess appointment shows “lack of respect for the public’s health care views,” and the problems with Dr. Berwick’s way of thinking about health care that prompted the nomination controversy in the first place. The problem with Dr. Berwick lies not just in his quotes about rationing and in praise of Britain’s National Health Service, but in the “command and control vision…widespread among America’s technocratic left” that underpins his positions. Of course, this technocratic vision – that a team of centralized planners can devise a system to reduce health costs nationwide – “is also increasingly anachronistic amid today’s breakneck medical progress. There isn’t a single ‘ideal model’ in a world of treatments tailored to the genetic patterns of specific cancers, or for the artificial pancreas for individual diabetics, or other innovations that are increasingly common.” Thus technocrats are forced to ration “with our eyes open,” resulting in the widely distributed quotes Dr. Berwick made last year.
From the other end of the political spectrum, the New York Times’ editorial claims that “Republican senators made it clear that they would use [Berwick’s] confirmation hearing to distort his record…mostly to score political points for the November elections.” That statement is ironic on several levels. First, Speaker Pelosi sent out a memo last week advertising the Administration’s new health care website – paid for at taxpayer’s expense – as “the best marketing tool yet available for how reform affects American [sic].” Second, the Hill quotes one expert as saying the White House’s recess appointment “protects vulnerable Democrats…from having to weigh in on the controversial figure of Berwick. ‘This way…nobody gets forced to vote on it.’”
Finally, during yesterday’s White House press briefing, Jake Tapper pointed out that Sen. Grassley requested a hearing on Dr. Berwick weeks ago, which was not scheduled prior to the President’s appointment. Robert Gibbs didn’t directly answer a question as to why Democrats decided not to arrange a hearing sooner, but denied that the Administration wanted to avoid a hearing “because of some of Dr. Berwick’s statements.”
It’s worth pointing out that Dr. Berwick’s nomination for a permanent posting at CMS remains pending before the Finance Committee, and a hearing can be called on that nomination at any time. Republicans have asked for a hearing, the Administration has said it is not trying to avoid one, and Chairman Baucus said he wants to ensure that “critical questions are asked of the nominee – and answered.” There’s one easy way to address everyone’s concerns – to schedule a hearing for the upcoming work period. Will Democrats do so? The ball’s in their court…