TV Doctor Oz Faces Senate: Can He Fix America's Health Insurance?

The Senate Finance Committee is about to have a chat with Dr. Mehmet Oz. Oz is a well-known TV doctor. He was a heart surgeon, but he became famous on TV. He had a show called "The Dr. Oz Show" where he talked about health and sold stuff like supplements and health insurance plans. Now, he wants to be in charge of Medicare and Medicaid. That's a big deal because these programs cover about 150 million Americans. The Senate wants to know what Oz plans to do with Medicare and Medicaid. Republicans are likely to ask about fraud and waste in these programs. Democrats, on the other hand, might ask about Oz's taxes and his past comments about privatizing Medicare. Oz has made a lot of money. His net worth is somewhere between $98 million and $332 million. He owns shares in lots of health companies. But he said he'll sell those shares if he gets the job. This is important because, as the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, he'll have a lot of power over health companies. Oz's hearing is happening as the Trump administration is trying to fill top health jobs. The Senate is also looking at other nominees. Some of these nominees have supported controversial ideas about health and science. Oz has been in front of senators before. In 2014, some senators were not happy with him. They talked about weight loss products he sold on his show. These products didn't always work as promised. This time, Oz will have to answer questions about his plans for Medicare and Medicaid. He will have to convince senators he's the right person for the job. He will have to show he can handle the responsibilities and won't be influenced by his past business deals. He will have to show he can be trusted to make decisions that are good for all Americans, not just for his own benefit.