Trump taps Dr Oz to lead Medicare and Medicaid

US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, famously known as "Dr Oz," will be the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Reuters reported. 

Oz, who unsuccessfully ran for the US Senate in 2022 with Trump's endorsement, will work closely with Robert F Kennedy Jr, nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump said the duo would combat "the illness industrial complex" and address chronic diseases while tackling waste and fraud in the healthcare system.

"Our broken healthcare system harms everyday Americans and crushes our nation’s budget," Trump stated, emphasising the need for reform.

The agency oversees Medicare, the federal health insurance programme for seniors and people with disabilities, and Medicaid, the joint federal and state health programme for low-income individuals. Together, these programmes provide coverage for over 140 million Americans.

Trump reiterated his campaign pledge not to cut Medicare but is expected to allow federal Medicaid subsidies to expire in 2025.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also manages enrolment in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces, commonly known as Obamacare. While Trump and Republicans have previously sought to repeal the ACA, they now propose overhauling it instead.