Power Play on Health

       I have to agree with James C. Capretta on his article called, “The Anatomy of a Hostile Government Takeover.” In the article Capretta discusses the Obama administration after six months. Capretta begins to claim that the Obamacare is a government takeover on American Health. Capretta begins discussing the letter from secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the Department of Health and Human Services also known as HHS sent to insurers.  Capretta uses the letter sent by Sebelius as a form of evidence to justify his claims over the takeover. In the letter Sebelius makes a clear threat that if the insurers do not accept to the agenda set by the administration then they will be shut out entirely from the government-managed insurance marketplace. I have to agree that the threat by Kathleen Sebelius shows exactly what Capretta is talking about in the hostile takeover.

      Also Capretta discusses the involvement of Dr. Donald Berwick being head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Capretta states that Dr. Berwick is an “ardent government-takeover enthusiast, and is prepared to use all of the levers at his disposal to advance that objective.” So for the next eighteen months Berwick can use his new powers demanding that doctors and hospitals agree with the views on health care, and is only accountable to the president. You can start to agree to Capretta’s view on a democratic hostile takeover. Obviously the two points Capretta makes can only lead people to think logically that a hostile takeover is happening.  I have to agree, when I read about the power plays made by the government. The government is using force with these new healthcare reforms and giving ultimatums, and this shows a form of hostility. You can get a since of trust with Capretta because he is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He was an associate director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2001 to 2004.