Dr. Mehmet Oz takes over to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

On Friday, US President Donald Trump swore in former heart surgeon and well-known television host, Dr. Mehmet Oz, as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The ceremony took place at the White House, marking a significant step in the Trump Administration's healthcare agenda.

On the same day, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. swore in Oz to oversee CMS, an agency that administers a budget of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal health spending.

Oz, confirmed by the Senate on April 3, will assume responsibility for running the Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. In his role, he will make key decisions about coverage for medical procedures, hospitalizations and medications for millions of Americans.

Oz's Priorities: "Make America Healthy Again"

During the ceremony, Oz outlined his priorities, aligning himself with the Kennedy-led "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) program. MAHA seeks to promote prevention and wellness to reduce reliance on health care.

"Healthy people don't consume healthcare resources," Oz said, stressing the importance of prevention. "The best way to reduce drug spending is to use less drugs, because you don't need them." 

Oz also emphasized the need to modernize Medicare and Medicaid as the "next big thing."

According to his remarks, these reforms will seek to empower both patients and health care providers. “That's how Americans will get the care that they want, need and deserve. Need to empower patients and providers, both the doctors and the patients, both have to be equipped with better tools,"  he said.