Washington (Reuters) – US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated TV doctor Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The agency manages an annual budget of $2.6 trillion and plays a central role in the US healthcare system. Trump, who had already supported the surgeon during his unsuccessful run for the US Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, said that Oz would work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He was nominated to head the Ministry of Health.
Trump announced Tuesday that Oz and Kennedy would work together to fight waste and fraud in the health care system. “Our broken health care system is hurting every single American and putting a strain on our country’s budget.”
The CMS is responsible for the federal health insurance program Medicare for seniors and people with disabilities as well as Medicaid, the insurance for low-income people. Together, the programs cover the health care needs of more than 140 million Americans. The agency is also responsible for the majority of insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). While Trump and other Republicans have tried to repeal the law in the past, they are now talking about simply revising it.
Oz made headlines as a commentator on Fox News during the corona pandemic and supported controversial treatments such as hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug whose use against Covid-19 was also supported by Trump. On social media, Oz criticized the Biden administration’s corona policy, particularly the mask requirement, and accused it of ignoring scientific findings.
In addition to Oz, Trump nominated former wrestling manager Linda McMahon as education secretary – a position he originally wanted to abolish. Trump praised McMahon for her service as board chair of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), where she “fought tirelessly for the rights of parents and the implementation of universal school choice in 12 states” over the past four years to provide education to children regardless of income or to provide high-quality education where they live. McMahon, co-founder and longtime executive director of the WWE wrestling federation, is considered a close Trump ally and was a major donor when he first ran for the White House.
Oz’s nomination is likely to draw less criticism from the pharmaceutical industry than that of Kennedy, who is considered a vocal opponent of the industry, said BMO analyst Evan Seigerman. Shares of major US health insurers such as UnitedHealth, Humana and Molina Healthcare rose slightly by one to two percent in after-hours trading after the decision was announced.
(Report by Ahmed Aboulenein and Jasper Ward, written by Patricia Weiß, edited by Sabine Ehrhardt. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economics) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets).)
How do you envision your collaboration with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. impacting your initiatives to reduce waste and fraud in the healthcare system?
1. Introduction: Can you tell us about your background in the healthcare industry and how you plan to contribute to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as its new head?
2. Working with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: What do you see as the main areas of focus in combating waste and fraud in the healthcare system, and how will your partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. help achieve this goal?
3. COVID-19 treatment controversies: During the pandemic, you supported some controversial treatments such as hydroxychloroquine. Looking back, do you believe it was a justified stance and what have you learned from the experience?
4. Healthcare legislation: The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been a contentious issue in US politics over the years. Given Trump’s previous stance on its repeal, what are your thoughts on revising the law instead, and what changes would you like to see implemented?
5. Education secretary nomination: As someone with no formal education experience, what do you hope to bring to the table as secretary of education, and how do you plan to address issues around student debt, funding for public schools, and post-COVID learning gaps?
6. Industry reaction: What has been the response from the pharmaceutical industry and health insurers to your nomination to head CMS? Do you believe there will be any major shifts in policy under your leadership?
7. The future of healthcare: As healthcare continues to evolve and new technologies emerge, how do you plan to ensure that the CMS stays ahead of the curve and provides access to quality care for all Americans, especially those in underserved communities?
8. Conclusion: As someone who has been vocal about their political views in the past, how do you plan to balance your personal beliefs with the important role you’ll have in shaping healthcare policy for millions of Americans?
