Another health care fight today, this one over one of President Obama's appointees.

Last night, the White House announced that Obama would make a recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, saying Republicans were unfairly blocking the nominee because of lingering disputes over the health care bill.

"With the agency facing new responsibilities to protect seniors' care under the Affordable Care Act, there's no time to waste with Washington game-playing,"' Obama communications director Dan Pfeiffer wrote in announcing the appointment on the White House blog.

Republicans said they want to question Berwick about his support for the government-run British health care system, and past comments about the prospect of health care rationing.

"Dr. Berwick is a self professed supporter of rationing health care and he won't even have to explain his views to the American people in a Congressional hearing," protested Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming. "Once again, President Obama has made a mockery of his pledge to be accountable and transparent."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said "the mere possibility of allowing the American people the opportunity to hear what he intends to do with their health care is evidently reason enough for this Administration to sneak him through without public scrutiny."

In his post, Pfeiffer cited bipartisan support for Berwick, His endorsements include past Medicare-Medicaid administrators under Republican president George W. Bush. Berwick is a practicing physician, a Harvard professor, and founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Berwick has "dedicated his career to finding ways to make our health care system work better for patients and cost less for taxpayers," Pfeiffer wrote.

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