Re: “New Medicare program using AI leaves WA patients in pain” (March 18, Enterprise):
Because of Jessica Fu for her informative article on “Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Discount,” the brand new Conventional Medicare pilot program in Washington, and to the brave sufferers who shared their tales. Like all good articles, it raises extra questions:
• WISeR already delays entry to care by requiring prior authorizations and appeals of denials. Will it additionally finally deny entry to care because of the elevated workload created for suppliers and employees? Not each workplace can afford to rent extra employees to fulfill the WISeR calls for. Will entry to care be depending on the flexibility to pay out of pocket (if allowed by Medicare guidelines)?
• Might the WISeR pilot program be an try and privatize Conventional Medicare?
• How is Virtix Well being, the tech firm that gives AI (for not less than the preliminary pre-authorization overview) financially compensated by the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies? Are there parameters to be met?
We Medicare recipients can contact our elected representatives to voice our issues. A minimum of we all know that’s all the time a WISe motion to take.
Linnea Mulder, Sammamish
