Donald Trump’s pick, Dr. Oz, recently appeared before the Senate for his confirmation hearing to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. However, his appointment is controversial given he has faced class action lawsuits in the past for his false claims about unproven weight-loss treatments and other misleading medical advice on-screen during his The Dr. Oz Show. In addition, he doesn’t have any experience holding a public office, and his criticism of how public health experts handle COVID-19 is also controversial.
However, as pointed out by many netizens, Donald Trump has been appointing people to departments who is not fit to run them and it’s all part of dismantling efforts. After all, who need s an experienced person to shut down something. Notably, Dr. Mehmet Oz also have a history of backing Medicare Advantage, just like the Republican President and maybe that’s why he was Trump’s nominee.
Medicare Advantage is a Medicare-approved health insurance plan offered by private health insurance companies. It was proposed as a default option for Medicare coverage in Project 2025. However, during his Senate hearing, Dr. Oz refrained from mentioning whether there would be significant cuts made to Medicaid and Medicare. As he gears up to potentially lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, older adults have expressed their thoughts.
On Reddit, one user wrote, “If Dr. Oz is in charge, he’ll be signing a death warrant for anyone over 75 on Medicare, as that’s the age where older adults seriously start racking up medical bills. I can see people who are forced into an ‘Advantage’ plan using rogue doctors who will accept cash under the table for services. Wealthy seniors will just go out of the country for care if they need it, and I’m certain no aged members of Congress will be on the Advantage plan, either.”
Another user, who is 69 years old, wrote, “I have never been afraid of treatments not being available to me until now.”
“Private insurance, like Medicare ‘Disadvantage,’ can cut you off whenever they can, unlike public, actual Medicare,” another Reddit user wrote.
Some people also questioned Dr. Oz’s ability to oversee – “Is a freakin’ quack.” One person pointed out, “Dr. Oz is another fool Trump put in charge of something that he has no business in. I have no idea what will happen to us old folks, but I know it will not be good.”
Trump putting a quack like Oz in charge of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services just shows how little Trump thinks of seniors and people with debilitating illness.
Oz is a grifter with no scruples.
He gave bad medical advice for years and got rich from it. #DemsUnited pic.twitter.com/RypmV4PsN6
— DemsUnited Gallery (@DUnitedGraphics) March 15, 2025
Not only older adults but others have also expressed their concerns. One X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “He has extreme views on abortion and a LONG history of pushing dangerous misinformation about health.” Another person wrote, “Trump putting a quack like Oz in charge of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services just shows how little Trump thinks of seniors and people with debilitating illness.”
