President-elect Trump’s choice of celebrity doctor and failed Senate candidate Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) marks the latest potential shake-up of federal health agencies and adds new uncertainty to the future of Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
If confirmed, Oz would take the helm of a $1.5 trillion agency that is essentially the federal government’s insurance provider. It sets payments rates for doctors, hospitals and insurers, while also overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act — programs that provide coverage for more than 150 million people.
The pick continues a trend of Trump elevating television personalities for key administration roles. CMS policies and programs touch on almost every aspect of the health system, but Oz has no experience running a large bureaucracy.
In his first term, Trump chose Seema Verma, a health consultant with a long history in health policy, for the CMS role.
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Article URL : https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5000821-trump-oz-cms-medicare-medicaid/