Dr. Mehmet Oz, former TV personality and current administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told Americans on Medicaid, “Don’t eat carrot cake,” as millions face cuts to their government-funded health insurance.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which extended his 2017 tax cuts and increased border security funding while making cuts to Medicaid and the food assistance program SNAP.
Under Trump’s legislation, some Americans on Medicaid will need to regularly file paperwork proving they are working, in school or volunteering at least 80 hours a month, NPR reported.
There have been several estimates flying around about how many Americans will lose their Medicaid. Reuters reported, citing the Congressional Budget Office, 7.8 million Americans could be cut from Medicaid by 2034.
Fox Business’ Stuart Varney and Oz were celebrating the 60th anniversary of Medicare, government-funded healthcare primarily for elderly Americans, on Monday.
Varney asked Oz on his show, “11 million people would lose their coverage because of the changes to Medicaid. That’s gonna be a political problem for you, isn’t it?”
“I don’t believe that number is correct,” Oz said, adding, “Medicare and Medicaid are the backbone of the social safety net of our country. We must preserve these entities.”
Oz said Medicaid was addressed in Trump’s bill because of “fraud, waste and abuses,” without providing any concrete evidence.
“If you’re able-bodied and able to work and you’re not, on average you’re spending 6.1 hours a day watching television or just hanging out…so we’re saying, you oughta try to go to work,” Oz added.
Later in their conversation, Oz told Varney, “We’ll be there for you, the American people, when you need help with Medicaid and Medicare, but you gotta stay healthy as well.”
“Do the most you can do to really live up to your God-given potential to live a full and healthy life. Don’t eat carrot cake. Eat real food,” he said, referring to a carrot cake he brought to Varney’s set to celebrate Medicare’s 60th anniversary.
In response to Oz’s comments, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, wrote on X: “17 million people are going to lose their health insurance because of the Trump administration. Dr. Oz’s advice is ‘don’t eat carrot cake.’”
The Independent has reached out to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for comment.
