Senate Republicans Ask Obama To Withdraw Key Official Overseeing Medicare And Health Overhaul

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

Unable to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law, Republicans are trying to oust the official quarterbacking the overhaul of the nation's medical system.
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In a letter released Thursday, 42 Republican senators asked the president to withdraw the nomination of Dr. Donald Berwick as Medicare administrator. That job carries major responsibilities under the health care law, such as setting up new insurance markets, expanding Medicaid to cover millions more low-income people, and revamping the way Medicare pays providers to reward quality instead of volume.

Republicans would need only 40 votes to block Berwick's confirmation by the full Senate, and the letter indicates that they have more than enough. The loss of Berwick, a well-known medical innovator and advocate for patients, would be a blow to the administration as it moves ahead with critical building blocks of Obama's health care remake.

The White House said Obama would not withdraw Berwick's nomination.

Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, ranking Republican on the committee that oversees Medicare, says Berwick lacks experience in insurance and that his past statements praising the British health care system mark him as a proponent of big government solutions to the nation's problems of soaring health care costs and dwindling coverage.



Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/d9lnsis80/senate-republicans-ask-obama-to-withdraw-key-official-overseeing-medicare-and-health-overhaul.html

[blackspade]

1. Quoting Orrin Hatch about qualifications is like

Charles Manson commenting about the peace movement.

[rfranklin]

2. What did we hear to such requests during the Bush occupation?

That's right, go pound sand assholes!

[lobodons]

3. This is what Obama should do with this letter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc

[savalez]

7. thanks!

:rofl:

[sinkingfeeling]

4. That's right Orrin, we need some insurance company CEO to run things.

[damntexdem]

5. Recess appointment! Recess appointment!

What a shame: he's a proponent of effective solutions to healthcare costs and coverage.

[Kingofalldems]

6. If the repubs want him out---he must be good

Give them nothing.