Mehmet Oz
Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Many officials have voiced concerns over Oz’s blending of medical advice, news, and entertainment, warning that this approach may harm consumers. Oz has notable connections with Usana Health Sciences, a company operating as a pyramid scheme involved in dietary supplements. He was compensated over $50 million to promote Usana’s products on his television show.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz promoted hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, as a cure for COVID-19. However, in June 2020, the Food and Drug Administration revoked its emergency use authorization, concluding that there was no longer reasonable belief in the drug’s efficacy against COVID-19 or that its benefits outweighed the risks. Notably, Oz owned stock in two companies that produced hydroxychloroquine.
Oz continues to face conflicts of interest in his role as CMS Administrator. On his show, he promotes controversial Medicare Advantage insurance plans without disclosing the financial benefits he receives from them. He acts as a licensed broker for TZ Insurance Solutions, which operates a Medicare call center he directed viewers to contact. In addition, he holds stock in UnitedHealth Group, a major private insurer, raising concerns about his capacity to regulate an industry in which he has personal financial interests.
“Arguably the most important office in HHS.”
“One of the most consequential roles in American government.”
The CMS Administrator reports directly to the Secretary of HHS. It is a role that oversees care for 170 million people and manages trillions of dollars in health expenditures. Decisions made by the Administrator directly impact many of our most vulnerable citizens – children, the aged, and disabled.
Responsibilities of the CMS Administrator include:
Administering all federal health programs including Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace
Allocating trillions of dollars in annual health expenditures
Ensuring integrity of all programs and overseeing health quality standards
Issues regulations governing providers and insurers and ensures compliance with relevant federal laws
Advising HHS leadership and the President
