The Trump administration’s pilot program using artificial intelligence to authorize or deny care for Medicare patients is facing significant scrutiny after reports of operational failures and legal irregularities emerged.
What Happened
In January, the administration launched WISeR, a program designed to use AI for prior authorization of certain types of care for seniors enrolled in Medicare. This initiative introduces a pre-approval requirement that previously did not exist for many of these services. Following the rollout, media outlets reported disastrous outcomes, including technical difficulties, long delays in decisions and care, puzzling denials, and frustration among doctors. These reports were largely confirmed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which released federal documents obtained during litigation. The documents included feedback from healthcare providers, with one describing the program as "a disgrace to the human race" and reporting patients crying in pain while waiting for care.
Why It Matters
The program’s legal standing and operational effectiveness are under question. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined in May that Trump officials did not follow proper procedure in establishing the program, casting doubt on its legality. Despite these findings and ongoing efforts by lawmakers to shut the program down, it appears to be moving ahead with plans for expansion in the coming years. This situation highlights the risks of deploying AI in critical healthcare infrastructure without established procedural safeguards, potentially impacting access to care for a vulnerable population.
The Bottom Line
The WISeR pilot program continues to operate despite documented technical failures, provider complaints, and a GAO finding that proper procedures were not followed during its setup, with expansion plans remaining in place.