berwick -- the good dr. berwick has stated in the last 30 years on rationing. i think that if we do that, that most of us will agree that he is the wrong man, wrong time, wrong job. and i thank the leader and the good doctor for allowing me to join in this colloquy. the presiding officer: the senator from maine. ms. collins: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside and call up amendment numbered 3879, which is pending at the desk. the presiding officer: without objection. the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from maine, miscollins, proposes amendment numbered 3879 to amendment unfunded mandate 3979. ms. collins: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be south bend -- be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. collins: mr. president, i am calling up tonight the amendment that i debated on the senate floor on monday with senator dodd and other members who were present. this amendment would direct regulators to impose strong risk and size-based capital standards

don berwick as the new leader for the centers for medicare and medicaid services is another step in that work on quality and cost initiatives, but he's a pediatrician and he knows well the importance of in this very exciting era of making sure that that work force of primary care providers is enhanced in a forest. and i'm thrilled that he'll be leading this effort and be one of the essential authors of what needs to be the new framework for reimbursement. and we have an enormous opportunity, clearly within the programs that we've run, medicare and medicaid to actually have this shift occurred. i don't think there's any question if you look at how in the long run we are going to an america of both have higher quality health result and a lower cost. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that we have to begin to intervene at a much earlier stage and in a much more