Trump admin uses AI to deny senior medical care
The gist
A CMS AI pilot to automate Medicare prior authorizations denied over 53 percent of requests.
Seniors in six states could lose care as lawmakers demand the program end.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2026CMS launched the WISeR pilot, deploying AI and machine learning to automate prior authorization decisions for Medicare services across six states.
- May 2026The GAO determined that CMS did not follow proper administrative procedure in establishing WISeR.
- Sep 24, 2026Vox reported that health insurers are deploying AI to deny claims, and Medicare has launched its own AI tool to help determine whether to approve prior authorizations.