Medicare Administrator Defends Recess Appointment

Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Donald Berwick defended his decision to accept President Barack Obama’s recess appointment after it was criticized by a Republican Senator.

“The president of the United States asked me serve and help the country. It was a privilege to do it,” Berwick said during a hearing Wednesday with the Senate Finance Committee.

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) described the appointment as “very, very controversial.”

“[It] clearly wasn’t an open and transparent process,” Bunning said. “The healthcare reform debate was far from open and transparent. Republicans got locked out of any negotiations.”

Bunning added that Republican leadership in the House will ensure that the administration is more transparent in the future.