Health Law Daily Wrap Up, SENATE NEWS—Dr. Oz confirmed as CMS leader by Senate, takes charge of Medicare, (Apr 4, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:Congressional Budget Office
“Everything…in my life educationally and professionally has prepared me for this precise moment in time which I believe offers a…opportunity and a challenge for us at CMS…”
President Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mehmet Oz, a medical doctor, passed the Senate vote and takes the top role at CMS. He will advance the Trump Administration’s priorities, serve under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and take charge of the Medicare and Medicaid programs that provide health insurance for millions. The vote by the Senate was 53-45, along party lines. At the same time that Dr. Oz takes the lead, cuts to Medicaid funding are being considered by lawmakers, and HHS has begun downsizing, including reportedly 300 roles within CMS.
CMS budget. As CMS Administrator, Oz will oversee close to $1.5 trillion in spending by the federal government on Medicare and Medicaid, programs that account for more than one-third of the budget, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) administration, the health insurance marketplace, is also within the scope of CMS.
Oz statements. Dr. Oz appeared before the Senate committee prior to the full Senate vote, with Medicare, Medicaid funding, the ACA, pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), the measles vaccine, drug pricing, and the nursing home staffing rule among the many healthcare topics discussed. In that hearing, Oz said he was committed “…to doing whatever I can working tirelessly to ensure that CMS provides Americans with access to superb care especially Americans who are most vulnerable our young our disabled and our elderly for me this commitment has been a lifelong passion…” He also added “…healthcare expenditures are growing 2 to 3 percent faster than our economy, not sustainable…the Medicare trust fund will be insolvent within a decade…Medicaid is the number one expense item in most states consuming 30% of those state budgets and that's crowding out essential services like schools and public safety…”
Response. Democrat leaders pushed back on the nomination and voiced concerns about Dr. Oz during Senate committee hearings. Other democrats outside the committee have previously questioned the nomination as well.
On the Republican side, after his full Senate vote confirmation, Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, issued a congratulatory statement, “…Dr. Oz is an accomplished physician, an innovator, and a world-class communicator, who will help modernize the agency by utilizing new cutting-edge technology that empowers health care providers to better serve the American people…”
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