Dr. Mehmet Oz will serve as the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after the entire Senate voted along the party line to confirm Thursday’s nomination.
The politician, who became a daytime television doctor, will be responsible for around $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare costs. His duties will involve oversight of Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including directing decisions related to procedures, hospital stays, how to cover medications, and the rate at which health care providers receive payments for services.
According to the Centers for Advocacy at Medicare, Medicare is a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and over, and currently covers around 65 million Americans. Medicaid, a public health assistance program for low-income people, covers around 72 million Americans, according to Medicaid.gov. Meanwhile, tips that provide free or low-cost health insurance to eligible low-income children and families will support around 7.2 million people.
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GOP Senate candidate Mehmet Oz will be greeted at a rally by former President Donald Trump to support local candidates at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on September 3, 2022. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A graduate of Harvard University, Oz received a medical and business degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a former heart surgeon and gained fame through his days television appearances, including the 13 seasons of The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Oz Show.
Oz later moved into politics and began bidding in 2022 for a failed Pennsylvania Senate seat. He was defeated by the state’s lieutenant governor, John Fetterman.
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Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz will speak at a campaign rally ahead of the midterm elections in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania on November 7, 2022 (via Getty Images via Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)
“Dr. Oz is keen to modernize CMS and encourage healthy lifestyles for all Americans, including implementing innovative technologies, focusing on the underlying causes of chronic illnesses,” Sen. Mike Krapo, chairman of the R-Idaho Senate Finance Committee, said Thursday.
Crapo, who led the OZ nomination process at the committee level, praised OZ for his “hardness and accessibility” throughout the process, including his willingness to answer “hundreds” questions on the record.
These questions came from both Republicans and Democrats. They included asking about Oz’s attitudes regarding abortion, medical treatment for transgender people, privatization of Medicare, and prescription drug pricing. Potential financial conflicts have also been a concern among democratic lawmakers through the Oz confirmation process. Oz is committed to selling any holdings that could cause problems.
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Thursday’s confirmation includes, among other things, his choice for the president’s election as the next UN ambassador and director of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, as the Trump administration continues to work to finalise the remaining political appointments.
According to the Washington Post’s “Political Appointers Tracker,” 233 candidates are currently being considered in the Senate.
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