President-Elect Trump Announces Nominees for HHS, CMS and Other Key Cabinet Positions

After quickly naming his Chief of Staff and making appointments related to immigration enforcement and national security posts, on Nov. 14 President-elect Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Five days later he nominated television personality, heart surgeon, and Wharton graduate, Dr. Mehmet Oz to be head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Dr. Oz would report to Kennedy in this position. Reaction to these appointments have been relatively partisan with Republicans largely positioned to give deference to President-elect Trump over his selections.

Democrats, on the other hand, are raising concerns with the nominees’ inexperience running organizations with the size and complexity of HHS and CMS, as well as Kennedy’s anti-vaccine statements and both Kennedy and Oz’s promotion of unproven or questionable theories and treatments. Pundits have been drawn to favorable comments made by Oz about Medicare Advantage and Kennedy’s concern over drug manufacturer and corporate influence on the Food and Drug Administration.

Until the Senate confirmation process takes shape, it is unclear how much detail will be revealed about how Trump’s “make America healthy again” agenda will be executed.