A New Era of Fraud Fighting in the Trump Administration
Dr. Mehmet Oz has always been familiar with high-pressure environments, but his time in Washington, DC has proven to be even more challenging than he anticipated. As a television host, physician, and author, Oz found himself in an unexpected role when he was appointed as the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Trump administration. His transition from the world of medicine and media to government bureaucracy was anything but smooth.
“I’m not a trained bureaucrat,” Oz admitted in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail. He joked that his job now felt “just like surgery but bloodier.” The normally routine task of managing large-scale government programs has now become a focal point for the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud within the system.
The Role of the Fraud Czar
Vice President JD Vance was appointed as the administration’s “Fraud Czar,” tasked with working alongside Oz to root out abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid systems. This initiative has taken on a new level of urgency, with President Trump teasing that fraud “raids” have already begun in Los Angeles. The focus is primarily on states governed by “crooked Democrats,” as Trump puts it. He believes the results of these raids will be so significant that they could help balance the federal budget.
This development has raised concerns among Americans who fear they may lose access to their Medicare and Medicaid benefits. However, both Vance and Oz have worked to reassure the public that these essential services will remain intact.
Oz warned those attempting to defraud the system: “Start running, because we’re coming for you.” The task force has identified Medicare and Medicaid as prime targets for fraud, given the $2 trillion in annual funding they distribute.
Recent Actions and Challenges
In February, CMS announced that $259.5 million in Medicaid funds would be withheld from Minnesota due to fraud concerns. A nationwide moratorium on Medicare enrollment for select medical equipment was also implemented. A source familiar with the anti-fraud task force told the Daily Mail, “As the task force to root out waste, fraud and abuse ramps up its work, we expect this number to grow exponentially.”
The task force has already suspended 221 hospice and healthcare providers in Los Angeles, with 70 more suspended the week prior. Oz praised Vance for his experience growing up in poor communities, saying he was the right person for the job. “JD is able to speak very openly and honestly, he’s a very upstanding person that has personal experience dealing with many of the issues that America is plagued by, being forgotten,” Oz said.
Lessons from Past Efforts
Efforts to combat fraud are not new, but historically, they have often faced resistance. Former DOGE director Elon Musk attempted similar initiatives but encountered significant pushback, eventually leaving to return to his companies. Musk later described his efforts as “a very interesting side quest” with some success, though he expressed regret over the rejection of his “common sense” reforms.
Oz remains optimistic about Vance’s chances of success, citing the Vice President’s ability to bring together officials across the administration. “His team is actually excellent, by the way, they have lots of experts around them and they’re gathering together a whole of government approach,” Oz said. The task force is working with officials from the Treasury Department, the Attorney General’s Office, and even the Internal Revenue Service.
A Surgical Approach to Fraud
Oz emphasized the need for precision in fighting fraud. “You have to be able to stay extraordinarily focused on your mission, because the bureaucracy will eat you alive,” he said. “You cannot take a meat cleaver to fraud, you have to take a surgical scalpel, fraudsters hide amongst the innocent.”
His efforts include identifying evidence of fraud involving foreign nationals in states such as Minnesota and California. “Our job is to make sure that the programs, as they were designed, work well, but don’t let these programs, especially the foreign guys take advantage of it,” he said. “It is terrible to see it weaponized by other countries and foreign nationals.”
Addressing Illegal Immigration Exploits
Although illegal immigrants are technically not allowed to access government programs, they found ways to exploit them under former President Joe Biden’s administration. Oz claimed this was by design. “We are bribing illegal immigrants in some states to stay here by giving them free health benefits, so they will never want to leave,” he said. “If I say, ‘Hey, listen, I’ll give you a free bing free food, free healthcare, come on down.’ Well, you don’t have to work. Like, what’s the point?”
Democrats, according to Oz, operated on the belief that everyone should receive government services without question. Under Vance and Trump, that approach is changing rapidly.
A Personal Connection with Vance
Oz has known Vance for nearly ten years, recalling their campaign together during the 2022 midterm elections. While Vance won his Senate seat in Ohio, Oz did not. However, he does not look back, noting that his work in the Trump administration has been far more fulfilling than serving as a senator.
Working with the president, he said, was a real privilege. “This president is different, I think, than anyone else I’ve ever worked with. He will call you at every crazy hour of the day,” he said. Oz shared a story about being out for dinner in Washington, DC with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary Marco Rubio when Trump called them to discuss business. The next morning, Oz appeared on a television show at 7:00 AM, and Trump called him immediately after to discuss it.
“When does he sleep?” he recalled thinking, but at the same time, he was thrilled that Trump was supportive of his work. That made his job much easier, he said. “He is so passionate and such a hands-on leader that if you have a problem, you go to him.”
