Mehmet Oz Confirmed as Head of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
By Stephanie Brown HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, April 8, 2025 -- The U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointment of Mehmet Oz, M.D., to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), according to a report from The New York Times.
The TV celebrity doctor and cardiothoracic surgeon was confirmed in a 53-45 vote that ran along party lines. The confirmation comes amid contentious debate regarding the future of both Medicare and Medicaid, with the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers contemplating significant cuts to Medicaid.
Oz has been a long-standing supporter of Medicare Advantage, the private insurance plans for older Americans, despite concerns from lawmakers regarding tens of billions of dollars in overbilling by insurers annually. During his confirmation hearing, Oz appeared to acknowledge issues with Medicare Advantage and tried to reassure the senators, saying there was a "new sheriff in town," The Times reported.
Oz also stated he would no longer support transgender care for minors and was "unequivocally pro-life," an about turn from his previously held positions on these issues.
During the hearing, senators mostly avoided Oz's financial ties to companies he will oversee as the head of CMS. He has made millions of dollars over the years selling dietary supplements and promoting health-related companies, The Times stated. However, in February, he announced he would sell his interest in more than 70 companies and investment funds and resign from various paid advisory jobs to avoid any conflicts of interest. Of particular note, he plans to relinquish his stake in UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest provider of private Medicare plans.
Last week also saw two other appointments to federal health agencies. Jayanta "Jay" Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., was confirmed as the director of the National Institutes of Health, while Martin A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H., was confirmed as the Commissioner of Food and Drugs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The New York Times Article
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted April 2025
Read this next
Recalled: More Than 67,000 Cases of Deodorant Sold at Dollar Tree, Walmart, and Amazon
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 — More than 67,000 cases of Power Stick deodorant have been recalled due to an undisclosed manufacturing issue. The recalled deodorants, made by A.P...
Dogs Can Sniff Out Parkinson's Disease, Study Shows
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 — Dogs’ noses are sensitive enough to track down fleeing convicts, locate human remains in hidden burial sites and detect illicit drug...
For Some, Gluten Intolerance Is Psychological, Study Says
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 — Gluten intolerance might be all in the minds of some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), results from a small-scale experiment...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.