(July 8, 2010):  Yesterday, President Obama announced the recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  He was nominated on April 19, 2010.  According to the White House’s press release, Dr. Berwick is a pediatrician, Harvard University professor, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.  Some consider him a controversial candidate.  According to Senator Pat Roberts, Dr. Berwick “plans to use rationing as a cost cutting tool to achieve the billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare called for in the health care reform bill.” 

   

A recess appointment expires at the end of the Senate’s next session or when an individual (either the recess appointee or someone else) is nominated, confirmed, and permanently appointed to the position, whichever occurs first.