In January the Trump administration launched a pilot program using artificial intelligence to approve or reject specific medical treatments for Medicare recipients. This federal scheme, known as WISeR, introduced prior authorisation to a healthcare system that previously operated without such pre-approval checks. Reports from media outlets and healthcare providers quickly highlighted severe operational failures including technical glitches, significant delays in decision-making, and confusing rejections of necessary care. The Electronic Frontier Foundation later released federal documents obtained through litigation that confirmed these issues. These records contained feedback from doctors describing the system as a disgrace to the human race while noting patients crying in pain during long waits for treatment.
Lawmakers have attempted to secure answers and halt the initiative while the Government Accountability Office determined in May that officials failed to follow proper procedures in establishing the program. Despite these legal challenges and reports of patient suffering, the administration appears to be moving forward with plans to expand the system in future years. The situation raises serious concerns about the reliability of automated decision-making in critical healthcare contexts.
- The program officially launched in January 2026
- It applies specifically to Medicare patients
- Legal challenges question its procedural validity
