Dr. Oz roasted the cuts at the Senate audience while competing to direct Medicaid, Medicare

Dr. Oz roasted the cuts at the Senate audience while competing to direct Medicaid, Medicare

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the election of President Donald Trump to direct the services centers of Medicare and Medicaid, faced a confirmation hearing on Friday before the Senate Finance Committee.

Oz, a doctor and former television presenter whose nomination to lead CMS has put it in the political care center for the first time since its unsuccessful intention for a seat in the United States Senate three years ago, faced difficult questions of the Democrats in the 27 -member committee, which will vote if it will move its nomination for a floor vote in front of the entire Senate.

Oz talked about his achievements as a doctor and television presenter during his opening statement, noting that the 10 Emmys won their program, and said Trump “wants to love and appreciate Medicar and Medicaid.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the election of President Donald Trump to direct the services centers of Medicare and Medicaid, sits before testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, in Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 14, 2025.

I CURTIS/AP

“We have a generational opportunity to fix our medical care system and help people stay healthy for longer,” he said on Friday.

Oz said that his main objectives as head of CMS deal with more transparency and eliminate waste, echoing Trump’s objectives.

However, Senator Ron Wyden, the classification member in the committee, criticized OZ during his presentation, calling him for his past comments and actions. Wyden, D-Ore, said that OZ has had a history of promoting Medicare Advantage companies and welfare remedies without foundation and said that it is confirmed that the nominee “would encode the profit insurance companies.”

“Dr. Oz will call the shots of what he receives cuts, or what remains,” he said.

Oz did not promise to prevent clippings for Medicaid or Medicare.

Wyden was frustrated when Oz did not respond “yes” or “not” when he asked if Oz would oppose some cut to the program.

“I appreciate Medicaid,” Oz replied, saying that “he worked in the medicaid environment quite extensively.”

Senator Maggie Hassan, Dn.H., then asked: “How many children who lost health insurance would be acceptable to you?”

“I don’t want children to lose health insurance,” Oz said.

“Well, then, you will need to reject the republican budget,” Hassan replied.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the election of President Donald Trump to direct the services centers of Medicare and Medicaid, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, in Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 14, 2025.

I CURTIS/AP

Hassan challenged Oz, in particular, in his past promotion of green coffee extract as a possible weight loss supplement.

“It may think that magic is fantasy, but this small beans have scientists who say they have found the magical cure for weight loss for each body type: it is a green coffee extract,” Oz said in an episode of 2012 of his program.

Later, a study that OZ cited at that time retracting, and an investigation carried out by the Federal Commerce Commission found that the data behind the product were “deeply defective.”

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, in particular, has been increasingly vocal before the audience on OZ’s financial ties with medical care companies that will now supervise in her role in CMS and her previous comments on the privatization of Medicare, one of the programs she will administer.

He also criticized what she calls her “hostile registration” on the rights of abortion, referring to Oz’s comments about the campaign that a woman’s decision to receive an abortion must be taken by her, her doctor and “local political leaders.”

“The involvement that elected officials should participate in a woman’s personal health treatment decision is terrifying and antithetical to the patient’s health,” Warren wrote to OZ on Thursday.

The Republicans arrived in defense of OZ and also promoted their agenda for the agency, specifically to defend the Hyde amendment.

The amendment has banned the use of federal funds for abortion, only allowing exceptions to pay the procedure when the mother’s life is at risk or pregnancy results from rape or incest. Medicaid, for example, does not cover abortion services beyond those exceptions, although some states use their own funds to do so.

Senator Steve Daines de Montana argued that Biden took measures to expand access to abortion so that “explicitly they violate the Hyde amendment.”

“If you are confirmed, will you commit to defend the HYDE amendment and ensure that our federal medical care programs are not providing abortions to the ten -cent coin of taxpayers?” He asked Oz.

The nominee said he would.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the election of President Donald Trump to direct the services centers of Medicare and Medicaid, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, in Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 14, 2025.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

“The involvement that elected officials should participate in a woman’s personal health treatment decision is terrifying and antithetical to the patient’s health,” Warren wrote to OZ on Thursday.

Oz was also criticized for their tax statements after the Democrats said that poorly paid for social security taxes and Medicare through the use of a limited responsibility escape.

The Senator Member of Classification Elizabeth Warren attends a confirmation audience of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs of the Senate in the Dirksen building on February 27, 2025.

Tom Williams/AP

“Dr. Oz’s position is contrary to the position of the Treasury Department and gives it not to pay in Social Security and Medicare, the health program itself that hopes to administer,” wrote the staff of the Finance Committee of the Democratic Senate in the Memorandum, circulated to the Committee.

“He avoided hundreds of thousands of dollars in Social Security and Medicare’s taxes in the reviewed years,” the staff wrote. They reviewed OZ taxes from 2021 to 2023.

The committee staff reviewed OZ’s tax statements and met with the nominee, its accountant and their lawyers in early March. Oz and his team argued that he was not responsible for the taxes that the Democrats said that he should, according to the memorandum.

Oz in the past has expressed its support for Medicare advantageAn approved by Medicare administered by private insurance companies. The plan Must follow the rules Established by Medicare, such as limiting pocket expenses and covering all the services covered by traditional Medicare.

“Medicare’s advantage has definitely become a much more important part of the Medicare program. Now it is The most popular coverage option Within the program, “News Joe Albanese, a senior policy analyst for the group of experts on the right Paragon Health Institute, told ABC.

“It has grown very quickly in popularity during the last decade,” he continued. “And that will change the way the government interacts with the beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicare.”

In a Co -written opinion article for Forbes In June 2020, Oz said Medicare Advantage offers better attention because there are competitive plans. He said Medicare Advantage could also be extended to all Americans who are not in Medicaid, which would be financed by a 20%payroll tax. He also has MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PROMOVED In his program, “The Dr. Oz Show”.

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