Press Releases
President-elect Trump’s Nomination of Dr. Oz Means Health Care At Risk for Seniors and Vulnerable Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, government watchdog Accountable.US raised alarms about President-elect Trump’s nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The organization highlighted Dr. Oz’s previous promises to enact policies that would hurt seniors including Project 2025-backed plans to privatize Medicare, a history of promoting unproven pseudoscience, and potential conflicts of interest as glaring issues that make him unfit for the role.
Nominating a person who has promoted unproven medical treatments for personal gain, opposed the Affordable Care Act, and supports the further privatization of Medicare to oversee the health care for millions of people, including seniors, will have devastating consequences. President-elect Trump is helping his friends, but the rest of us get higher costs, less coverage, and weakened protections – especially those with pre-existing conditions. President-elect Trump wants to assemble a cabinet made up of loyalists and grifters who will double down on a failed system that gives more to the wealthy and well-connected instead of putting forward serious candidates who will look out for the health and economic security of all Americans."
Tony Carrk, Executive Director of Accountable.US
Dr. Oz’s career has been marred by repeated promotion of unproven medical treatments and pseudoscience, often for personal financial gain. His lack of accountability and history of misleading the public make him a dangerous choice to oversee Medicare and Medicaid.
Under his leadership, Accountable warns that costs could skyrocket for millions of seniors who rely on these programs. At the same time, access to vital healthcare services could become even harder for vulnerable populations. Oz’s policies may also prioritize corporate profits over patients’ needs, further jeopardizing the health and well-being of those who depend on Medicare and Medicaid.
Financial disclosures show that, as of 2022, Dr. Oz and his wife own up to $600,000 in UnitedHealth Group stock and up to $100,000 in CVS Health stock, which owns Aetna. And during his run for Senate, Dr. Oz proposed legislation that would push seniors off traditional Medicare and into private insurance plans. Both UnitedHealth and CVS have reported significant revenues from Medicare Advantage plans, raising serious concerns about potential self-dealing if Oz were confirmed. A recent Accountable.US report found UnitedHealth – Medicare Advantage’s leader provider – has a troubling history, from accusations of fraud, posting high profits while healthcare costs skyrocket for American families, overbilling taxpayers, allowing misdiagnoses, to illegal denial of care.
“The American people deserve a CMS leader who will protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid—not someone who wants to privatize these vital and hugely popular programs for personal gain,” continued Carrk. “If Dr. Oz had his way, Medicare would be wholly replaced with private insurance plans that cost taxpayers more and leave patients vulnerable to denials of care and higher premiums. Dr. Oz’s nomination might serve Donald Trump’s loyalty test, but it fails the basic test of what’s best for American seniors and patients.”
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