For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Contact: Doug Gordon | doug@upshiftstrategies.com

(Boston, MA) – In response to news that President-elect Donald Trump has selected Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Brandon G. Wilson, DrPH, MHA, Co-Interim President & CEO at Community Catalyst issued the following statement:

“The appointment of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead CMS represents a grave threat to health justice, particularly for communities that have long borne the brunt of systemic inequities in our health system. Dr. Oz’s record of promoting questionable medical practices over evidence-based care undermines the principles of health equity and justice. His nomination raises alarms for the millions of people who rely on Medicaid and Medicare—programs that provide vital health and economic stability for older adults, people with disabilities, and families with low incomes.

“Medical debt is one of the clearest indicators of a health system that prioritizes profit over people. Under Dr. Oz’s leadership, we fear that predatory practices driving this crisis will worsen, pushing even more families into cycles of debt and hardship. Harmful and burdensome reporting requirements, long proven ineffective, would further exacerbate these issues by creating unnecessary barriers to care. These requirements not only lead to poorer health outcomes but also increase medical debt—forcing families to make impossible choices between getting care and going into debt. 

“For communities already harmed by racism, classism, ableism, and other forms of oppression, this appointment could deepen entrenched inequities. The potential dismantling of the Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) under a Trump administration poses yet another significant threat. These critical programs have made real progress in addressing deeply rooted health disparities by advancing minority health interventions. These efforts have not only improved health outcomes for systemically excluded communities but have also reduced costs to the government through preventive care and reduced reliance on costly interventions.

“We must strengthen, not dismantle, programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Office of Minority Health. Expanding access to care—not restricting it—leads to better health outcomes and stronger economic opportunities. Evidence-based leadership is essential to achieving these goals.

“At Community Catalyst, we remain unwavering in our commitment to fighting back against threats to public health and economic justice. Together with our partners, we will continue to build power in our communities to advance bold policy solutions, center the leadership of those most impacted by inequities, and protect the foundational rights and freedoms tied to health and well-being.

“Congress has a responsibility to provide checks and balances against harmful appointments and policies. We urge the Senate to reject this nomination and instead champion leadership that prioritizes evidence-based care, equitable access, and the health of all communities.

“Now is the time to move forward—not backward—on health justice. Dr. Oz’s appointment is a stark reminder of the urgent work ahead to protect Medicaid and Medicare from predatory practices, address the growing burden of medical debt, and ensure that our health system is accountable to the people it serves—not corporate interests or extremist agendas.”

Learn more about Community Catalyst’s work to protect and expand Medicaid and Medicare, combat medical debt, and advance health justice through health system innovation at www.communitycatalyst.org. 

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About Community Catalyst:   

Community Catalyst is a national organization dedicated to building the power of people to create a health system rooted in race equity and health justice, and a society where health is a right for all. We’re an experienced, trusted partner to organizations across the country, a change agent to policymakers at the local, state, and national level, and both an adversary and a collaborator to health systems in our efforts to advance health justice. We partner with local, state and national organizations and leaders to leverage and build power so that people are at the center of important decisions about health and health care, whether they are made by health care executives, in state houses, or on Capitol Hill. Together with partners, we’re building a powerful, united movement with a shared vision of and strategy for a health system accountable to all people. Learn more at www.communitycatalyst.org