Senate committee to vote on Dr. Oz's nomination to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance will vote later today on whether to advance Dr. Mehmet Oz's nomination to run Medicare and Medicaid services to a full Senate vote.

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.