President-Elect Trump nominates Dr. Oz for CMS Administrator

(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former Pennsylvania Senate candidate and TV personality, to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In a statement, Trump described Dr. Oz as "an eminent physician, heart surgeon, inventor, and world-class communicator, who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades."

Trump adding that Oz will work alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who is nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Dr. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, posted on Instagram last week praising Trump for picking Kennedy for the post.

Like Kennedy, Oz has faced criticism over the years for promoting misleading and false claims about health and science.

CMS is the agency responsible for providing government-based health insurance to more than 160-million people.

The position requires Senate confirmation.