Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, confronted a affirmation listening to Friday earlier than the Senate Finance Committee.
Oz, a health care provider and former tv host whose nomination to guide CMS has put him within the political highlight for the primary time since his unsuccessful bid for a U.S. Senate seat three years in the past, confronted powerful questions from Democrats on the 27-member committee, which is able to vote whether or not to maneuver his nomination to a flooring vote in entrance of the complete Senate.
Ouncestalked about his accomplishments as a doctor and TV host throughout his opening assertion, noting the ten Emmys his present received, and contended Trump “needs to like and cherish Medicare and Medicaid.”
Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, sits earlier than testifying at his affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 14, 2025.
Ben Curtis/AP
“We’ve a generational alternative to repair our well being care system and assist folks keep wholesome for longer,” he stated Friday.
Ouncessaid his fundamental objectives as the top of CMS cope with extra transparency and eliminating waste, echoing Trump’s objectives.
Sen. Ron Wyden, the rating member on the committee, nevertheless, slammed Ouncesduring his introduction, calling him out over his previous feedback and actions. Wyden, D-Ore., famous Ounceshas had a historical past of selling Medicare Benefit firms and baseless wellness cures and claimed if confirmed the nominee would “coddle the for revenue insurance coverage firms.”
“Dr. Ounceswill likely be calling the photographs of what will get cuts, or what stays,” he stated.
Ouncesdidn’t decide to stopping cuts to Medicaid or Medicare.
Wyden grew pissed off when Ouncesdid not reply “sure” or “no” when he requested whether or not Ounceswould oppose any cuts to this system.
“I cherish Medicaid,” Ouncesresponded, saying he is “labored inside the Medicaid setting fairly extensively.”
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., later requested, “What number of kids dropping medical health insurance could be acceptable to you?”
“I do not need kids to lose medical health insurance,” Ouncessaid.
“Nicely, then, you are going to must reject the Republican funds,” Hassan responded.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, testifies at his affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Mar. 14, 2025.
Ben Curtis/AP
Hassan challenged Oz, particularly, on his previous promotion of inexperienced espresso extract as a potential weight-loss complement.
“It’s possible you’ll assume magic is make-believe, however this little bean has scientists saying they’ve discovered the magic weight-loss treatment for each physique kind — it is inexperienced espresso extract,” Ouncessaid on a 2012 episode of his present.
A examine Ouncescited on the time was later retracted, and an investigation by the Federal Commerce Fee discovered the information behind the product was “deeply flawed.”
Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, particularly, has been more and more vocal forward of the listening to about Ouncess monetary ties to well being care firms that he’ll now oversee in his function at CMS and his previous feedback about privatizing Medicare, one of many packages he’ll handle.
She additionally criticized what she calls his “hostile report” on abortion rights, referring to Ouncess feedback on the marketing campaign path {that a} lady’s resolution to get an abortion needs to be made by her, her physician and “native political leaders.”
“The implication that elected officers needs to be concerned in a girl’s private well being remedy resolution is terrifying and antithetical to affected person well being,” Warren wrote to Ounceson Thursday.
Republicans got here to Ouncess protection and in addition pushed their agenda for the company, particularly in upholding the Hyde Modification.
The modification has banned the usage of any federal funds for abortion, solely permitting exceptions to pay for the process when the lifetime of the mom is in danger or the being pregnant outcomes from rape or incest. Medicaid, for instance, doesn’t cowl abortion companies past these exceptions — although some states use their very own funds to take action.
Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, argued that Biden took motion to develop abortion entry in ways in which had been “explicitly in violation of the Hyde Modification.”
“For those who’re confirmed, will you decide to upholding the Hyde Modification and making certain that our federal well being care packages usually are not offering abortions on the taxpayers’ dime?” he requested Oz.
The nominee stated he would.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, testifies at his affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Mar. 14, 2025.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos
“The implication that elected officers needs to be concerned in a girl’s private well being remedy resolution is terrifying and antithetical to affected person well being,” Warren wrote to Ounceson Thursday.
Ouncesalso got here below fireplace over his tax returns after Democrats stated that he underpaid on Social Safety and Medicare taxes through the use of a restricted legal responsibility loophole.
Rating member Sen. Elizabeth Warren attends a Senate Banking, Housing and City Affairs Committee affirmation listening to in Dirksen constructing on Feb. 27, 2025.
Tom Williams/AP
“Dr. Ouncess place is counter to the place of the Division of Treasury and leads to him not paying into Social Safety and Medicare, the very healthcare program he hopes to handle,” Democratic Senate Finance Committee employees wrote within the memo, circulated to the committee.
“He prevented lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in Social Safety and Medicare taxes within the years reviewed,” the employees wrote. They reviewed Ouncess taxes from 2021 to 2023.
The committee employees reviewed Ouncess tax returns and met with the nominee, his accountant and his legal professionals earlier in March. Ouncesand his staff maintained that he was not responsible for the taxes the Democrats stated he owed, in line with the memo.
Ouncespreviously has expressed help for Medicare Advantage, a Medicare-approved plan run by non-public insurance coverage firms. The plan must follow rules set by Medicare, equivalent to limiting out-of-pocket bills and masking all companies lined by conventional Medicare.
“Medicare Benefit has undoubtedly develop into a way more necessary a part of the Medicare program. It is now the most popular coverage option inside the program,” Joe Albanese, a senior coverage analyst on the right-leaning assume tank Paragon Well being Institute, informed ABC Information.
“It is grown very quickly in recognition over the previous decade,” he continued. “And that is going change the best way that the federal government interacts with Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries.”
In an op-ed co-written for Forbes in June 2020, Ouncessaid Medicare Benefit affords higher care as a result of there being competing plans. He stated Medicare Benefit may be expanded to all People who usually are not on Medicaid, which might be funded by a 20% payroll tax. He has additionally promoted Medicare Advantage on his present, “The Dr. OuncesShow.”
