TV celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz is expected to face a tense confirmation hearing on Friday, and Democrat senators plan to question how he will oversee Medicare and Medicaid now that Republicans and the Trump administration weigh important changes affecting millions of Americans.
Among the plans that may be considered by Republican lawmakers and President Trump, there are severe cuts to health insurance coverage for low-income people and a bigger shift towards private plans for older Americans.
Dr. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon who gained fame for his successful daytime show, appears to be poised to ensure confirmation by the entire Senate.
His confirmation hearing is one of the last candidates for Trump under the jurisdiction of National Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Soon, following Trump's decision on Thursday, he will withdraw the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Weldon's longstanding views on certain vaccines have undermined the possibility of confirmation.
Dr. Oz's position on vaccination could also be interested in a Senate panel considering his eligibility, as older Americans are most vulnerable to diseases like Covid, flu and pneumonia.
Additionally, some members of the Senate Finance Committee may burn Dr. Oz about his countless financial connections.
He has pitched tens of millions of dollars in dietary supplements and other products on television and social media, and many of the companies he connects to have benefited from his confirmation.
To alleviate some of his disputes, in February he announced that he would sell interest to more than 70 companies and investment funds, including UnitedHealth Group, HCA Healthcare and Amazon, if confirmed. His business and family holdings are valued in neighborhoods ranging from around $90 million to $335 million, according to a recent regulatory filing.
Senate Democrats are expected to take on Dr. Oz's vocal support for the controversial private insurance plan for older Americans known as Medicare Advantage. Insurance companies operating these plans have been heavily criticized as they have been accused of overcharging the government and denying patients the necessary care. Dr. Oz also has close ties with companies selling the plans. Many of them are accused of overly offensive marketing tactics.
As an administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Oz decides how closely the agency monitors the Medicare Advantage industry. He also was able to encourage people to register with private plans in place of traditional government-run programs. Medicare currently covers approximately 68 million people, with over half being insured through Medicare Advantage plans. About 7 million of those in Medicare are under the age of 65.
Little is known about Dr. Oz's views on Medicaid. It is a vast state and forest program that compensates 72 million low-income and disabled Americans, some of which also depends on Medicare. Congressional Republicans are turning their eyes to the program as they could potentially find a cut of as much as $880 billion. As a result, health insurance qualifies much less and can affect those individual states have to contribute.
Senate Democrats are also seeking answers to recent income tax returns, focusing on whether they paid the amount they needed for Medicare tax, according to a memo from committee staff reviewed by the New York Times.
“The Government Ethics Bureau conducted an extensive review of Dr. Oz's finances as part of the usual review process,” said his spokesman Christopher Crepitch.
The Ethics Bureau notified the Senate that “potential disputes have been resolved and are in compliance with the law,” Krepic added.
But Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, sent a 28-page letter to Dr. Oz on Thursday, demanding that he provide answers about his position and potential conflicts.
“The agency deserves a leader who willingly places the benefits of patients, healthcare providers and taxpayers first. He spends much of his career from entities narrowing down all the last medical expenses from patients and taxpayers, not individuals trying to privatize these programs,” she said.
