By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Interim CMS Director Steps Down, Problems Remain
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Interim CMS Director Steps Down, Problems Remain
BusinessNewsPolicy & Law

Interim CMS Director Steps Down, Problems Remain

Thomas Pane
Thomas Pane
Share
0 Min Read
SHARE
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Me...

The

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Me...

The resignation of Don Berwick as director of CMS didn’t seem to get major press coverage. Dr. Berwick was appointed to lead CMS in July 2010 when Congress was in recess, and thus needed Congressional approval to serve beyond 2011. He quickly became a punching bag for some lawmakers, who attacked his purported admiration of the British National Health Service. He was also subjected to criticism for a prior statement on health care rationing. I previously commented on his exact statement here, and noted that the criticism appeared to distort the factual record.

Realizing that the Senate would not confirm him, he has stepped down.

By all accounts Dr. Berwick is an upstanding physician with a solid reputation. And the problems that he so accurately noted will not be resolved by his resignation. The position of CMS Director increases in importance every day as the government debt pile grows larger, fueled in large part by healthcare expenditures. This problem will not be solved without co-operation from both political parties.
The fact remains that the government has simply promised much more health care than it is capable of providing, and some method of matching these promises with the forces of reality will take place. This can be through price rationing, non-price rationing, large tax increases, or some combination of the three. But what has been happening will not continue indefinitely.

More Read

The Power of LinkedIn Showcase Pages
Entrepreneurs Must Integrate Mission-Driven Strategic Investors
A Doctor Pans Electronic Health Record Incentives
The Supreme Court Decision on the Health Reform Law (has not yet been issued)
3 Ways a Physician Blog Will Enhance Your Web Presence

Dr. Berwick may have been criticized for speaking the truth on this matter, but he is no different from a new CFO brought in to aid a struggling business. When the business owner later receives a report saying “Something major has to change or you are headed for bankruptcy.” Should he fire the messenger?

Regardless of who leads CMS, the mathematical problems with Medicare and Medicaid will not go away. Best of luck to the next director!

Related articles
  • Obama’s Pick to Head Medicare and Medicaid Resigns Post – Ocala (ocala.com)
  • Statement On Dr. Donald Berwick’s Departure As Administrator Of The Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services (medicalnewstoday.com)
  • US Medicare chief to resign after political standoff (trust.org)
  • A Vacancy That Needs to Be Filled (nytimes.com)

    

TAGGED:CMSDonald Berwick
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

Affluent Chinese Parents Travel to the US To Give Birth

March 11, 2012

How immigrants help health reform succeed

July 31, 2015
health start-ups
BusinessTechnology

Health Start-Ups! – Four Tips for Health IT Start-Ups

June 13, 2013

Why Are Good Hospitals Good?

March 29, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?