#Medicare2026

How AI Is Changing Prior Authorization in Healthcare ?

Beginning in January 2026, patients on traditional Medicare (not Medicare Advantage) in six states Arizona, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Ohio, Washington, and Texas will face AI-based prior authorization for spine surgery and other select procedures. A Reddit user summed up the unease: “This seems dangerous when you consider the disruption in healthcare by insurance companies who already use AI algorithms to ration healthcare.” The 6-year pilot, called the WISeR Model, uses algorithms to identify “wasteful or inappropriate” services. But as one