As you probably already know, The Donald has selected the infamous Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator. What you may not remember is that he is an enthusiastic shill for Medicare Advantage.
Let’s get to the nitty gritty. According to health reform activist Wendell Potter:
Get this: Dr. Oz wants to force Pennsylvania seniors into Wall Street-run health insurance plans that numerous studies show cost taxpayers far more than original Medicare. And most of those private plans make doctors ask for permission before prescribing many medications and treatments for their patients.
If Dr. Oz gets his way, a majority of Pennsylvania’s (and America’s) seniors would lose their current coverage and be herded into private plans that have become insurers’ new cash cow.
If that happens, Dr. Oz would become much richer. That’s because he reportedly owns up to $550,000 worth of stock in UnitedHealth Group, the biggest owner and operator of so-called Medicare Advantage plans.
In the video linked below, he forgot to mention how UnitedHealth is famous for rejecting what should be covered claims. That’s the other side of “free” Medicare advantage, chooch — you get what you pay for.
