government
Former CMS chief joins Center for American Progress
Posted April 2, 2012
The former head of the Medicare and Medicaid programs has joined a liberal think tank in Washington.
The Center for American Progress on March 25 announced that it had hired Donald M. Berwick, MD, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Dr. Berwick’s role at the center will be to focus on defending the health system reform law.
Dr. Berwick stepped down as CMS administrator on Dec. 2, 2011, after leading the federal agency since July 2010. He had been appointed during a congressional recess, which did not require Senate approval but also limited the term of his appointment. Republican critics of the pediatrician and health quality expert said he supported health system reforms that would amount to government rationing.
During his tenure as CMS administrator, he oversaw the early implementation of the 2010 reform law.
“Dr. Berwick is a visionary leader of change and progress in our health care system,” said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress and a former Obama administration official. “As the administrator of CMS and in his previous roles, he has championed reforms of our health care system that lower costs while improving care, all towards the goal of serving patients better.”
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/02/gvbf0402.htm.
