Dr. Donald Berwick

PHI has joined 28 other members of the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations in supporting Dr. Donald Berwick‘s nomination as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Dr. Berwick was nominated by President Obama in April, but his nomination has been held up by Republicans who insist that he supports “rationing care.”

The nomination signals the Obama administration’s commitment to improving health care for all. National health reform expands coverage for the uninsured by significantly expanding Medicaid and restructuring Medicare. Dr. Berwick’s leadership will be essential to maintaining quality care for low-income Americans, elders, and people with disabilities, while also addressing runaway cost increases.

Dr. Berwick’s Background

Dr. Berwick is president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, and one of the nation’s leading experts on improving health care quality while saving money. He was one of the first and most effective voices to call for quality improvement in the health care system.

In a letter to the Senate (pdf), the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations cites Dr. Berwick’s commitment to patient-centered care that focuses on the needs of each individual, as well as his expertise regarding how to transform the delivery system.

“Dr. Berwick’s commitment to patient-centered care aligns perfectly with PHI’s vision of an eldercare/disabilities services system that delivers quality relationship-centered care,” says PHI President Steven Dawson. “We look forward to working with CMS under Dr. Berwick’s leadership.”

While Dr. Berwick’s nomination has received widespread support from the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, numerous consumer and provider organizations, and the LCAO members, the nomination has been met with unrelenting resistance from Republicans who have portrayed Dr. Berwick as a radical due to his praise for Britain’s National Health Service.

The Senate Finance Committee has not scheduled a hearing on the Berwick nomination.

– by Carol Regan, PHI Government Affairs Director