Dr. Mehmet Oz—now the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—was criticized after he offered Americans unsolicited health advice during a Fox News appearance, saying that Americans shouldn't "eat carrot cake" as millions face cuts to their government-funded health insurance.
The passage of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" will cause 17 million people to lose valuable Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Under the bill, individuals earning just above the federal poverty line would be required to start paying out of pocket for certain Medicaid services, such as doctor visits and lab tests.
States would be allowed to charge these enrollees up to 5% of their income in cost-sharing, potentially adding up to hundreds of dollars each year. Experts warn that while Democratic-led states may opt for relatively low co-pays, Republican-led states could impose higher fees that many low-income residents would be unable to afford.
But Oz didn't address any of these concerns, only saying the following during Fox's commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Medicare:
"It was a promise to the American people to take care of you if you're having problems financially or if you're having an issue because you're older and need healthcare and it changed the country in a good way for many reasons, but we're all in this together."
"We'll be there for you when you need help with Medicare and Medicaid, but you've got to stay healthy as well. Be vital. Do the most that you can do to really live up to the potential, the God given potential, to live a full and healthy life."
"You know, don't eat carrot cake. Eat real food."
Oz, who also referred to Medicare and Medicaid as "the backbone of the social safety net of our country" while parroting claims of "waste, fraud, and abuse" in the system without presenting evidence, said these words as a carrot cake sat on the table in front of him and host Steve Varney.
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Oz's words attracted the attention of Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a tireless advocate for healthcare access, who said:
"17 million people are going to lose their health insurance because of the Trump administration. Dr. Oz's advice is “don’t eat carrot cake.”"
You can see her post below.
Others swiftly criticized Oz for his clueless remark.
Last month, speaking on the heels of major U.S. health insurers' pledge to speed up the prior authorization process, Oz was criticized for his explanation how the companies’ compliance can be monitored, stressing that the Trump administration "insisted on a dashboard."
Oz said the process would operate "like a credit card," and that "when you put it into the machine to buy something, they don’t prior authorize you" because "you either have money in the bank or you don’t.”
Critics pointed out that Oz's statement shows just how much he doesn't understand the job he currently holds—which sounds pretty par for the course for the rest of the Trump administration.
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