Dr. Mehmet Oz is the new head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after the Senate confirmed him by a vote of 53-45 Thursday.
Oz, a former TV star and heart surgeon, will lead the agency, which oversees more than $1.5 trillion in federal health spending, The Daily Wire reported.
This includes insurance coverage for more than 160 million Americans.
Oz takes over the agency at a precarious time.
A reorganization effort led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency removed 10,000 jobs department-wide.
Oz was the host of a daytime television show from 2009 through 2022.
He left the show to run for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat, which he lost to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), per Policico.
