Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Trump-appointed administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has defended the GOP’s Medicaid proposals against criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. In a recent interview with POLITICO’s newest podcast, The Conversation with Dasha Burns, Oz maintained that the budget megabill passed by the House would not cut Medicaid spending.

According to Politico, the Congressional Budget Office’s May report presents a different picture, estimating that 7.6 million Americans could lose their insurance if the Medicaid portions of the GOP megabill are implemented. This has sparked concerns across party lines, with several Republican senators expressing reservations about the proposed changes.

“Every great people takes care of their most vulnerable, and we’re a great nation,” Oz stated in the interview scheduled for Sunday release. He emphasized that the administration’s goal is to protect social services and ensure the program remains solvent, adding that they’re sensitive to accusations of neglecting people with disabilities, seniors without money, or children.

Republican senators voice concerns over proposed changes

The controversy has created a divide within the Republican Party. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri criticized what he called “corporatist Republicans” in a May New York Times op-ed, arguing that building legislation around cutting health insurance for the working poor is both morally wrong and politically self-destructive. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have also expressed doubts about the House bill’s Medicaid provisions.

Despite President Donald Trump’s earlier insistence that there would be no cuts to Medicaid when Oz was sworn into his post in April, the proposed changes have become a contentious issue. Democrats are preparing to launch advertising campaigns targeting House Republicans who voted for the spending cuts.

Oz defended the administration’s position by claiming that most Americans support the White House initiative to implement work requirements in exchange for healthcare benefits. He explicitly stated, “We’re not cutting Medicaid,” and maintained that all proposals he has seen actually increase Medicaid spending.

The CMS administrator emphasized that the work requirements included in the legislation would “future-proof” the program, aligning with the administration’s stated goals of protecting social services. He reiterated President Trump’s commitment to preserving these programs, quoting the president’s desire to “love and cherish these programs and keep them viable.”