By Dave Andrusko

Talk about a confirmation conversion. Yesterday--the day before he was scheduled to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee-- Medicare Administrator Don Berwick told the American Medical Association's annual advocacy conference that “the government should ’stay out’ of deciding a patient's end-of-life care,” according to the newspaper, the Hill.

Last July President Obama skirted a barrage of questions for Berwick (whom NRLC Executive Director Dr. David N. O'Steen labeled a "one-man death panel") by making a recess appointment, which meant Berwick avoided facing public scrutiny by the Senate.

Last month the Obama Administration said it is re-nominating the ultra-controversial Berwick to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Making Berwick even more important is that his already hefty portfolio has been expanded.

One of the many reasons Republicans are deeply skeptical of Berwick is that he is an enthusiastic supporter of Britain's National Health Service and its National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), the agency charged with determining which medical advances will – and which will not – be made available to the British public.

According to the Boston Globe, this morning Berwick fended off all inquiries on his past expressions of admiration for the British health care system.

“Is the British health care system a good model?” Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mi.) asked. ‘The American health care system needs an American solution,’ Berwick replied,” according to the Globe’s Mark Arsenault.

“Camp persisted, asking: Do you still think a government-run single payer system is the best option? ‘I believe the Affordable Care Act is the right solution for America,’ said Berwick. ‘If I could have a simple yes or no answer?’ said Camp. He didn’t get one.”

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