
This week, President-elect Donald Trump introduced celeb doctor Dr. Mehmet Oz as his decide to steer the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Providers.
Dr. Oz is a surgeon who hosted a syndicated daytime tv present from 2009 to 2022, and he additionally unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat representing Pennsylvania in 2022.
Healthcare leaders have blended emotions about Dr. Oz’s appointment.
Can Individuals make sure what Dr. Oz actually stands for?
Anu Sharma — CEO of Millie, a startup providing hybrid maternal care — stated she is “unsure what to make” of Dr. Oz’s nomination.
“He’s a educated doctor, sure. However he has additionally taken previous positions on unproven remedies. He additionally stated he believed in common entry to healthcare, however withdrew assist for the ACA and has since signaled assist for extra privatized fashions like Medicare Benefit. So it’s laborious to know what he actually thinks,” she defined.
Dr. Oz has been criticized by healthcare consultants prior to now for spreading misinformation about unproven Covid-19 remedies, resembling anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. He has additionally come underneath fireplace for selling questionable weight reduction methods — in 2018, Dr. Oz reached a $5.25 million settlement for endorsing unproven dietary supplements for weight reduction.
Sharma stated solely “time will inform” whether or not Dr. Oz is an effective selection for the company answerable for the healthcare wants of a few of the nation’s most weak residents.
May the U.S. healthcare system absolutely enter the digital age?
Pouria Sanae, CEO of healthcare know-how platform ixlayer, famous that Dr. Oz’s appointment has brought about extra dialogue than any earlier CMS nomination ever has.
“Has a CMS appointment ever drawn a lot consideration prior to now? As a result of it’s Dr. Oz, we’re all speaking about it. Due to his celeb, Dr. Oz is uniquely positioned to lift consciousness and assist Individuals assume extra proactively about their well being — which all of us agree continues to be a lot wanted. And, elevating consciousness among the many American public in regards to the function of the CMS and the politics round healthcare is an effective factor,” he declared.
Sanae believes that Dr. Oz’s ardour for longevity will lead him to embrace applied sciences that empower sufferers to take management of their well being, together with instruments that make it extra handy for sufferers to entry to medical doctors, testing and medicines.
“Maybe Dr. Oz is the forward-thinking doctor who acknowledges the necessity for America to carry its world-class healthcare system absolutely into the digital age,” he remarked.
May Dr. Oz be a champion for food-as-medicine?
Ashley Tyrner-Dolce, CEO of food-as-medicine startup FarmboxRx, identified that Dr. Oz could also be “working hand-in-hand” with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Each are outspoken in regards to the optimistic affect {that a} nutritious diet can have on Individuals’ well being.
“This alerts that the federal authorities will possible be allocating CMS {dollars} for food-as-medicine initiatives — with poor meals and the continual illness epidemic being prime of thoughts for each males,” she acknowledged.
In her view, utilizing meals as an engagement device is an economically viable resolution that has potential to mitigate meals insecurity and improves folks’s diet — which may in flip, present tangible outcomes in terms of bettering Individuals’ well being outcomes.
Will Dr. Oz’s appointment lower entry to weight reduction remedies?
Brooke Boyarsky Pratt — CEO of knownwell, a major care clinic specializing in weight problems remedy — identified that greater than 70% of the 100 million sufferers insured via Medicaid and Medicare are chubby or overweight.
“Guaranteeing that these sufferers have protection for evidence-based, efficient weight problems remedy is important for not solely these sufferers however for the well being of the U.S. inhabitants at massive. From their public statements, Dr. Oz and RFK Jr. look like closely centered on non-medical interventions,” she stated.
Pratt acknowledged that complete care is necessary for treating the nation’s weight problems epidemic — however in her view, medical intervention delivered by clinicians is required for quick and sustained weight reduction.
May this nomination harm pharmaceutical R&D?
Dave Latshaw, CEO of AI-powered drug improvement startup BioPhy, famous that Dr. Oz’s appointment may have an effect on the pharmaceutical business in a pair alternative ways.
“His stance on stricter price controls in Medicare and Medicaid would compel drug builders to have interaction in more difficult worth negotiations, doubtlessly compressing revenue margins throughout the sector,” he acknowledged.
Moreover, the rising emphasis on Medicare Benefit is requiring pharmaceutical corporations to show stronger cost-effectiveness and improved outcomes to safe protection, Latshaw identified.
“Whereas streamlined CMS processes may ship expedited approvals and reimbursements, proposed privatization reforms may essentially alter the market dynamics, doubtlessly favoring innovation whereas creating challenges for high-cost therapeutic choices,” he declared.
From Latshaw’s perspective, these pricing pressures and regulatory adjustments may in the end constrain investments in analysis and improvement, main drugmakers to prioritize tasks with larger chance of returns.
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