Dr. Mehmet Oz confronted robust questions from Democrats Friday at a Senate affirmation listening to for a prime authorities publish overseeing the Medicaid and Medicare well being applications.
The TV physician and failed Senate candidate insisted he “cherishes” the sprawling applications that serve 150 million individuals however refused to say if he would associate with the draconian cuts to the plans being eyed by President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Oz mentioned that as head of the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies he hopes to rein within the extreme price of well being look after each Individuals who want medical care and the taxpayer.
“The most expensive care we give is bad care. You pay to do the wrong thing,” he mentioned. “We have a generational opportunity to fix our health care system and help people stay healthy for longer.”
He dodged questions concerning the cuts that Republicans have to make to fund Trump’s big tax cuts for the rich and massive firms.
“The way you protect Medicaid is by making sure that it’s viable at every level,” Oz responded to a query from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).
Oz, a 64-year-old son of Turkish immigrants, was a revered coronary heart surgeon who rebranded himself as a preferred TV host after successful extensive recognition on Oprah Winfrey’s present.
He mounted a bid for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania however misplaced to Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.
Now he has his sights on overseeing medical insurance for about 150 million Individuals enrolled in Medicare, which covers the aged; Medicaid for poor and disabled individuals; youngsters’s medical insurance; or Reasonably priced Care Act protection.
Regardless of sharp questions, he’s thought-about more likely to win affirmation by the Senate, the place Republicans maintain a 53-47 edge.
Oz portrays himself as a robust supporter of Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his pro-Trump Make America Wholesome Once more. Kennedy has spent years railing in opposition to the meals manufacturing trade and Huge Pharma in addition to questioning the security of life-saving vaccines.
Regardless of Oz’s revered medical file, he’s by no means led any giant group, elevating questions on whether or not he’s the suitable particular person for the job particularly as Trump and Musk declare battle on supposed “waste, fraud and abuse” within the applications which might be a cornerstone of the social security web.
Democrats have additionally raised questions on Oz’s use of a loophole to underpay his personal taxes by 1000’s of {dollars} on Medicare, this system he’ll oversee.
He’s additionally made feedback on his TV present supporting privatizing Medicare, which many recipients of the insurance coverage program for aged Individuals worry would result in profit cuts.
Oz has hawked all the things from dietary supplements to personal medical insurance plans on his former TV sequence, “The Dr. Oz Show,” which ran for 13 seasons and helped him amass a fortune. He’s price betwen $100 and $315 million and personal hundreds of thousands of inventory in medical insurance, fertility, pharmaceutical and vitamin corporations. He has promised to divest from dozens of corporations that will pose conflicts for him because the CMS administrator.
The brand new publish would give Oz important energy over most well being corporations working within the U.S. as a result of he could make choices about who and what are coated by federal insurance coverage protection.
