Mehmet OzThe renowned heart surgeon turned talk show host and lifestyle guru runs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a massive federal health bureaucracy that covers more than a third of Americans. President-elect Donald Trump was chosen to run it.
Here we meet a TV doctor who became a politician and was now put in charge of an institution that affects nearly every American citizen in some way.
Who is Dr. Oz?
Oz, who trained as a heart surgeon, rose to fame on Oprah Winfrey's signature daytime TV show and spun off his own series, “The Dr. Oz Show,” in 2009.
The show ran for 13 seasons and made Oz famous.
Oz stopped practicing surgery in 2018, but his medical license remains valid in Pennsylvania through the end of this year, according to the state's online database.
Oz is the author of New York Times bestselling books, an Emmy Award-winning television host, radio talk show host, presidential appointee, and a national expert on educating teens about healthy habits. She is the founder of a nonprofit organization and a self-proclaimed wellness ambassador.
He was also a guest host on “Jeopardy!” Participated in a game show and saved a dying man at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Oz was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of a heart surgeon who immigrated from Türkiye.
He attended a private high school in Delaware, attended college at Harvard University, where he also played football, and served in the Turkish army to maintain his dual citizenship.
He made a name for himself as a surgeon, but also made a fortune as a salesman.
Oz offered nutrition and lifestyle advice on the show, portraying himself as a trusted doctor who could explain health issues in an engaging and approachable manner. But his show also the lines are blurry Between medical advice and advertising, he was unable to clearly communicate to his audience how closely he worked with the companies he was pitching.
He was the subject of a lawsuit for repeatedly promoting products of questionable medical value and making misleading claims on his show. Several of the companies he has promoted are structured as multi-level marketing operations, and their practices have repeatedly attracted the attention of federal regulators.
Oz's 2022 federal financial disclosures show his net worth is between $100 million and $315 million, giving a range of amounts but not providing specific numbers. Not done.
he ran for the US Senate
Oz ran for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2022, one of the most high-profile midterm elections of that year. Oz, a longtime New Jersey resident who worked in New York City, ran from Pennsylvania because of his ties to the state through his wife's parents.
his campaign leaning heavily on his celebrity. The logo looked exactly like the logo for his TV show. His themes, “slices of reality'' or “doctor appearances,'' transformed his reputation as a doctor on television.
He ran in a crowded Republican primary and won the support President Trump coveted.
“Women in particular are drawn to Dr. Oz's advice and advice. I've seen this many times over the years. They know him, they believe in him, they trust him. ” Trump said when endorsing Oz.
After a legal battle that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Oz barely won He defeated McCormick in the primary by 951 votes, but lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election.
Oz and Trump have a long personal history
Oz told The Associated Press in a 2022 interview: he met trump for the first time In 2004 or 2005, he asked President Trump to use his golf course for a Children of Oz charity event. Mr. Trump agreed. They met intermittently at social events after that, until Oz interviewed Trump about his health during the 2016 presidential campaign.
During an appearance on “The Dr. Oz Show” in 2016, President Trump said his wife, Melania Trump, was a big fan of the show.
During his first term, Trump appointed Oz to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.
he will oversee a large agency
If confirmed by the Senate to lead CMS, Oz. will supervise Medicare, Medicaid, children's health insurance, and the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.” The program serves more than 160 million people, from newborns to nursing home residents.
CMS also plays a central role in the nation's $4.5 trillion health care economy, setting Medicare payment rates for hospitals, physicians, labs, and other service providers. Government payment levels form the basis for private insurance companies. The agency also sets standards governing how health care providers operate.
The agency has more than 6,000 employees and a $1.1 trillion budget.
