Dr. Oz to face Senate grilling on Capitol Hill in bid to run Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, will face questions in front of the Senate Committee on Finance Friday.

If confirmed, Oz would be in charge of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. Medicare, a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and up, currently provides coverage for about 65 million Americans, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid, which assists people with low incomes, covers roughly 72 million Americans, according to Medicaid.gov.

A former heart surgeon who saw his fame rise through his appearances on daytime TV and 13 seasons of "The Dr Oz Show," Oz later transitioned into politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat in 2022. He ultimately lost to John Fetterman, then the state's lieutenant governor. Oz graduated from Harvard, and received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.