Mehmet Oz, once a staunch proponent of Medicare Advantage plans, vowed Friday to go after those plans if they unfairly raise costs for the government if he is confirmed as President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Oz, a former cardiothoracic surgeon, became a household name thanks to his long-running health-focused TV show where he at times promoted false health claims. If confirmed, he would run an agency that provides health insurance coverage for 160 million Americans. He’d also work closely with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” platform.
His nomination comes at a moment when Trump and Republicans focus on reining in health care costs, which ballooned to $1.9 trillion in fiscal 2024.
