News Briefs: Top Democrats Express Concern Over Oz Ties to MA Insurers
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Dec 13, 2024
Seven top Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Mehmet Oz, M.D., on Dec. 10 expressing concern about his “deep financial ties to private health insurers” given his nomination to be CMS administrator. “We have questions about your lack of qualifications for this job: although you were a renowned heart surgeon, you have no management experience relevant to running these critical health care programs,” the lawmakers wrote. “But we are equally concerned about your previous advocacy for Medicare privatization.” During Oz’s unsuccessful campaign to win a Pennsylvania Senate seat, he advocated for covering every senior not on Medicaid through Medicare Advantage. The lawmakers claim that Oz has good reason to push for a fully privately administered Medicare program, as he disclosed during his 2022 Senate rune that he owned more than $550,000 worth of UnitedHealth Group stock. And they argue that Oz may not be qualified for his role overseeing MA, which has been criticized for practices like upcoding and denying medically necessary care. Read more
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