Crapo Supports Dr. Oz as CMS Administrator

Washington, D.C.--Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by a vote of 53-45.  In remarks delivered on the Senate Floor before the vote, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) called on his colleagues to support the nomination, emphasizing Dr. Oz’s years of experience as an acclaimed physician and strong desire to modernize CMS and encourage healthy lifestyles for all Americans.

Click here or above to watch Crapo’s remarks

As delivered:

“I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the motion to invoke cloture on Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is nominated to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

“The CMS Administrator is responsible for overseeing health care programs that cover tens of millions of Americans, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

“At his hearing, Dr. Oz spoke strongly about his desire to modernize CMS and encourage a healthy lifestyle for all Americans.  His vision for treating the underlying causes of chronic disease and equipping providers with innovative technologies to serve patients will also be a much-needed sea change at CMS. 

“I am confident that his years spent as a leading physician and public health advocate make him duly qualified to accomplish these goals, and I look forward to working with him, if confirmed. 

“Dr. Oz also clearly met the standard of the Finance Committee’s arduous nomination process, and I thank him for the diligence and accessibility he displayed during the extensive meetings he had with Committee members and staff, in addition to responding to hundreds of questions for the record.

“I strongly encourage my colleagues to join me in advancing this nomination.”

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