Thank You, Dr. Berwick!

Posted on | November 25, 2011 | 3 Comments

Under the most difficult circumstances, Dr. Don Berwick has served his country well. Injecting a vision for the future while keeping his eyes focused on the needs of patients, he has helped steer Medicare and Medicaid in the right direction. We trust as well, that what he has learned – both good and bad – about the limits of governance of our nation at this moment in time, will inform his future efforts. Thank you, Dr. Berwick for your service!

Washington Post Report: From Sarah Kliff.

“President Obama’s top Medicare official has resigned in the face of Republican pledges to block his confirmation in the Senate.

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald M. Berwick notified colleagues Wednesday that he will step down Dec. 2, nearly a month before the expiration of his recess appointment.

The White House will nominate Marilyn Tavenner, Medicare’s deputy administrator, as his replacement.

“Don Berwick did outstanding work at CMS,” White House deputy press secretary Jamie Smith said Wednesday. “It’s unfortunate that a small group of senators obstructed his nomination, putting political interests above the best interests of the American people.”

Obama nominated Berwick to run Medicare in April 2010. In July 2010, with no confirmation hearing scheduled, the president appointed him to the job while Congress was in recess. As a recess appointment, Berwick’s term was to expire Dec. 31. Earlier this year, 42 Republican senators signed a letter pledging to block his confirmation, effectively ending any chance of him serving beyond 2011.”

Category: Don Berwick, Donald Berwick, donald berwick md, Medicaid, Medicare
Tags: Medicare

Comments

3 Responses to “Thank You, Dr. Berwick!”

Lachlan Forrow
November 25th, 2011 @ 9:47 am

Don Berwick is one of my heroes, cherished mentors, and friends. Words cannot adequately convey my admiration and gratitude for his work at CMS, which I hope his Deputy will now continue seamlessly, as the American people need and deserve.
June Simmons
November 25th, 2011 @ 10:52 am

Dr Berwick is a visionary with an amazing ability to inspire and guide practical changes in care that transform health services. By identifying focused opportunities for change and demonstrating the power of these changes to prevent damage to millions and reduce costs, he has shown the way to improve care. By inspiring testing of new visions in many hundreds of sites, he is changed th viewpoint of thousands of professionals and inspired positive redesign in communities and institutions all across this land. His speed, his practicality and his purity of focus – awesome. We thank you for your amazing energy and approaches that have advnaced the work of us all. It is tragic to lose this leadership now!! Shame on those Senators. Send us the list of who they are – I would like to let them know many will die at their hand by stopping the work of Dr. Berwick.
Gail hunt
November 25th, 2011 @ 6:05 pm

Mike: it’s wonderful that you gave a shout-out to Berwick upon his resignation. I too think he has been visionary in his job heading CMS and is to be commended. I only hope that we can continue to roll out the ideas of better health, better access, and lower cost for the Medicare and Medicaid populations.