Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) today released the following statement in reaction to the announcement that President Obama will make a recess appointment of Dr. Don Berwick as Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“There are one-half trillion dollars of cuts to the Medicare program in the Democrats’ health care law that Dr. Berwick must now deal with.  His agency’s own actuaries have estimated that these cuts could ‘jeopardize’ seniors’ access to health care and will keep millions of seniors from obtaining the health care plan they prefer. 

“Given the impact the new health care law will have on Medicare and the nation’s seniors, it is my hope that Dr. Berwick would appear before Congress to discuss how he plans to proceed with these program cuts.  I encourage Chairman Levin to immediately schedule a time for Dr. Berwick to appear before the Ways and Means Committee.  I know many Democrats don’t want to talk about their cuts to Medicare, but seniors deserve to know what is in store for their health care and it is our duty to exercise the proper congressional oversight.” 

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