What you need to know about Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s pick to lead Medicare and Medicaid

Mehmed Oza famed heart surgeon turned talk show host and lifestyle guru is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the vast federal health care bureaucracy that covers more than a third of Americans.

Here’s a look at a television doctor turned politician now assigned to lead an agency that affects nearly all Americans in some way.

Who is Doctor Oz?

Trained as a heart surgeon, Oz rose to prominence on Oprah Winfrey’s landmark television show before launching his own series ‘The Dr.’ in 2009. Oz Show’ launched.

The program aired for 13 seasons and made Oz a household name.

Oz retired from surgery in 2018, but his medical license will remain active in Pennsylvania through the end of this year, according to the state’s online database.

Oz is a New York Times bestselling author, an Emmy-winning TV host, radio talk show host, presidential candidate, founder of a national nonprofit to educate teens about healthy habits, and a self-proclaimed ambassador for wellness.

He also guest-hosted the “Jeopardy!” game show and helped save a dying man at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Oz was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of a heart surgeon who emigrated from Turkey.

He attended a private high school in Delaware and Harvard University as a student, also played football there and served in the Turkish army to maintain his dual citizenship.

He made a name for himself as a surgeon, but made a fortune as a salesman

Oz provided nutritional and lifestyle advice on his show and portrayed himself as a trusted doctor who could explain health issues in an engaging and approachable way. But also his show the line blurred between medical advice and advertising, failing to make it clear to his audience how closely he worked with the companies he was pitching.

He repeatedly promoted products of questionable medical value and was named in lawsuits alleging he made misleading claims on the show. Several of the companies he has promoted are structured as multi-level marketing firms whose practices have repeatedly drawn the attention of federal regulators.

Oz had a net worth between $100 million and $315 million, according to a federal financial disclosure he filed in 2022 that shows dollar values ​​in ranges but does not provide specific figures.

He ran for the US Senate

Oz ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2022, one of the high-profile races of that year’s midterm elections. Although he had long lived in New Jersey and worked in New York City, Oz ran in Pennsylvania, citing ties to the state through his wife’s parents.

His campaign leaned heavily on his celebrity. The logo looked exactly like the logo of his TV show. His themes – ‘a dose of reality’ or ‘the doctor has arrived’ – formed the basis for his TV doctor reputation.

He competed in a crowded Republican primary and won Trump’s eagerly sought support.

“Women in particular are attracted to Dr. Oz for his advice and counsel. I’ve seen this many times over the years. They know him, they believe in him and they trust him,” Trump said as he endorsed Oz.

After a lawsuit that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Oz narrowly won the primary over McCormick 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 when he asked Trump to use his golf course for a charity event for Oz’s children. Trump agreed. They then saw each other intermittently at social events before Oz interviewed Trump about his health during the 2016 presidential campaign.

During a 2016 appearance on ‘The Dr. Oz Show,” Trump said his wife, Melania Trump, was “a big fan” of the show.

Trump appointed Oz to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition during his first term.

He would oversee a huge agency

If confirmed by the Senate to lead CMS, Oz would supervise Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health insurance, and the Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare.” The programs cover more than 160 million people, from newborns to nursing home residents.

CMS also plays a central role in the nation’s $4.5 trillion healthcare economy, setting Medicare payment rates for hospitals, physicians, laboratories and other providers. Government payment levels become the basis for private insurers. The agency also sets standards that govern how health care providers work.

The agency has more than 6,000 employees and a budget of $1.1 trillion.