AI Denials Risk Seniors' Medicare Care

Federal pilot WISeR uses private AI vendors to screen Medicare prior‑authorization requests. EFF documents show the system produced high denial rates, rushed deployment, reviewers spending ~1.2 seconds per case, and vendor incentives structured to deny — all linked to delays and reported patient harm. — If governments outsource benefits decisions to opaque AI systems without legal limits, transparency, or proper guardrails, vulnerable populations (here, Medicare beneficiaries) can lose access to necessary care and due process.