WISeR program for AI authorization of Medicare care is failing, GAO finds procedural violation
The government pilot program WISeR, which has used AI to approve or deny care in US Medicare since January 2026, has been plagued by technical problems, delayed decisions, and disputed denials. The GAO found a procedural violation in the program's implementation, yet it continues and an expansion is being prepared.
The government program WISeR, launched in January 2026 by the Trump administration, uses artificial intelligence to authorize or deny selected types of care for Medicare patients — the federal health program for seniors, which until now had not required prior authorization from physicians. According to Ars Technica, media reports have described technical problems, long delays in decisions and the provision of care, inexplicable denials, frustrated doctors, and patients suffering in pain.
These reports were confirmed earlier this month by documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation as part of a lawsuit. The materials include feedback from healthcare providers — one of whom called the program \"a disgrace to the human race\" and described patients crying in pain while waiting for care.
Lawmakers are seeking answers and trying to have the program canceled. In May 2026, the Government Accountability Office found that Trump administration officials failed to follow proper procedure when implementing the program, which called its legality into question. Nevertheless, according to available information, the program continues without restriction, and an expansion is planned in the coming years.
Why it matters
The case documents the concrete consequences of deploying AI in a highly sensitive decision-making process without sufficient preparation and oversight — delayed or erroneous decisions here directly affect patients' health and suffering. For organizations considering similar uses of AI, it is a cautionary example that bypassing procedural and regulatory steps can lead to legal disputes and damage to trust, even if the project formally continues.
Relevant practical impact
What this means
For a business
The case illustrates the risk of deploying AI in sensitive approval processes without complying with procedural and regulatory requirements: according to the GAO, the program was implemented in violation of established procedure, which called its legality into question, yet it continues, including a planned expansion, despite criticism from lawmakers.
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