Berwick Advocates Wealth Redistribution And Health Care Rationing

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-13) today criticized the recess appointment of the new federal Medicare director who has openly supported "wealth redistribution" and praised Britain's system of rationed health care. The White House was wrong to jam through this "recess" appointment without Senate hearings, Buchanan said, calling it the latest example of an arrogant out-of-touch Washington.

“The President has sidestepped Congress to appoint a tireless advocate of health care rationing as his Medicare director,” said Buchanan,” said Buchanan. “This is a major concern to the approximately 177,000 seniors in my district age 65 and over who rely on Medicare to stay alive and healthy. Mr. Berwick should explain to them what he intends to do with their health care.”

Without so much as a Senate hearing, President Obama named Donald Berwick his recess appointment to be the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In a 2008 while speaking on the British health care system in the UK, Berwick said wealthy individuals must redistribute their wealth to those less fortunate for health care funding. Also during this speech, he told those in attendance that he opposes free markets.

“Any health care funding plan that is just equitable civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional,” Berwick said.

Berwick has praised Britain's National Health Service, and he told an interviewer last year: "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care -- the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open. And right now, we are doing it blindly."

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