You don't have to look too far into the articles about the recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to run Medicare and Medicaid to find concerns about rationed medical care. The sources of this article are today's Washington Examiner, today's The Hill, and today's Washington Times. Keep in mind that the name of this blog is "Right Wing Granny." Although I have been blessed with good health, the concept of rationing medical care to the older generation is near and dear to me.
The Washington Times points out that although the Obama Administration has cited Dr. Berwick's credentials including current roles as a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health as reasons he is eminently qualified to head Medicare and Medicaid, these credentials are not what they appear to be.
According to the Washington Times:
"But Dr. Berwick hasn't seen a patient in years. And the two Harvard professor positions listed on his White House biography as well as another position as a senior scientist at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston are essentially "honorary professorships," which require two or three seminars or meetings a year..."
The President is totally within his rights to nominate someone for a recess appointment. It is unfortunate, however, that he is making an appointment without any debate to oversee a healthcare reform program that was passed over the wishes of the American people. If the healthcare reform bill is such a good thing, why is this appointment being done in a way that will avoid discussing what healthcare reform means?
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