CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD, blasted the Republican plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system and asked Americans to reconsider the increasingly unpopular healthcare reform law, according to a report by the Boston Globe.
Dr. Berwick said the voucher plan, part of the House Republicans' proposed 2012 budget, would set back efforts to improve quality and reduce waste. "It would be like "giving people a sum of money and saying, 'Good luck, God bless you,' " Dr. Berwick said. "That's not about improving care. That's about shifting burdens."
Turning to sagging public support for the reform law, Dr. Berwick said Americans are in a "psychological trap, where nothing looks good," and he added, "The public's smart. They're going to wait for the results before they actually change their minds."
He said he wished "the tempo of the law were faster," so that Americans could experience the benefits of upcoming changes like universal coverage and accountable care organizations.
"We are not going to take your care away," he said. "We are going to make it better."
Read the Boston Globe report on Donald Berwick, MD.
Read more coverage of Donald Berwick, MD:
- Donald Berwick Emphasizes Hospitals' Role in Improving Care, Reducing Costs
- Senate Democrats Giving up on Berwick Confirmation as CMS Head
- CMS Head Advising States With Medicaid Funding Problems
Dr. Berwick said the voucher plan, part of the House Republicans' proposed 2012 budget, would set back efforts to improve quality and reduce waste. "It would be like "giving people a sum of money and saying, 'Good luck, God bless you,' " Dr. Berwick said. "That's not about improving care. That's about shifting burdens."
Turning to sagging public support for the reform law, Dr. Berwick said Americans are in a "psychological trap, where nothing looks good," and he added, "The public's smart. They're going to wait for the results before they actually change their minds."
He said he wished "the tempo of the law were faster," so that Americans could experience the benefits of upcoming changes like universal coverage and accountable care organizations.
"We are not going to take your care away," he said. "We are going to make it better."
Read the Boston Globe report on Donald Berwick, MD.
Read more coverage of Donald Berwick, MD:
- Donald Berwick Emphasizes Hospitals' Role in Improving Care, Reducing Costs
- Senate Democrats Giving up on Berwick Confirmation as CMS Head
- CMS Head Advising States With Medicaid Funding Problems