Washington, DC – Ways and Means Republicans today sent a letter to Chairman Levin reiterating a request to invite Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Donald Berwick to testify in front of the Full Committee this month. Levin previously indicated a willingness to have Dr. Berwick testify after he been in office for a period of time.

In the letter the Republicans stated, “Dr. Berwick has now been in his position for more than two months and has begun engaging in public debate on the impact he believes these Medicare cuts will have on America’s seniors…Given the importance of these issues and the fact Dr. Berwick has been CMS Administrator long enough to write opinion pieces and speak to trade associations, we ask that you invite him to testify before the Full Committee this month so that we can better understand the direction he intends to take the Medicare program at such a critical juncture.”

Republicans cited the law’s one-half trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare and CMS’ own actuaries predictions that the law could jeopardize seniors’ access to health care as the prime reason for a hearing with the Administrator.

The full letter can be read here.

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