Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz nears confirmation as head of US healthcare services

Mehmet Oz, a celebrity doctor nominated by President Donald Trump to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), seemed likely to be approved for the role after a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on 14 March.

The Oz hearing has been closely watched, as Trump is considering cuts to the Medicaid programme to pay for tax cuts that would benefit prosperous people.

During the hearing and despite repeated questions, Oz would not say that he opposed cuts to Medicaid. He vowed to crack down on any fraud in the programme. “Part of this is just recognising there is a new sheriff in town,” he told the committee. …