AI Death Panels Coming to Medicare

by Pa Rock

Medicare Recipient

I've been on Medicare for over a decade. With that exceptionally good government insurance program, a full private health policy that I brought with me from my last employer, and Medicare Part D, it is rare when I have to pay any co-pay on any medical service or prescription.  The program works well for me, and I would appreciate it very much if my political representation in Washington, DC, would leave it the hell alone!   (Jason Smith, Eric Schmitt, and Josh Hawley - I'm talking to you!)

But apparently our national government has decided increasing our tax load (substantially!) through new tariffs on imports, is not doing enough to reduce the debt, so now they are exploring ways to save money through cutting government expenditures on "giveaway" programs like Medicare.  With that goal in mind, it was announced this week that Medicare will begin using Artificial Intelligence to determine whether some medical procedures are cost effective and necessary.  It will be a pre-authorization plan that in some cases will determine whether a person lives or dies.

Yes, it will no longer be just a patient and their doctor determining what medical care a person needs,  An internet presence - the ghost in the machine - will also be having a say in the matter.  And, the artificial intelligence companies - owned by tech billionaires - will be reimbursed for their trouble with a percentage of the money that they save - the proceeds of cancelled medical procedures.

The AI companies will be rewarded for denying services - and the more they deny, the greater their paychecks.  Who will lose in a stacked situation like that?  Medicare is taking one of the very worst practices of private insurance companies - the pre-authorization scam - and incorporating it into their service in a manner that is rigged against patients.

Bastards.

The new procedure will initially be rolled out in six states as a pilot program:  Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington.

Combine this new authorization process, which rewards AI companies for denying medical services, with the Department of Health and Human Services' clear moves away from standard (and proven) health care practices like vaccinations, and soon there may be no need for any Medicare payouts because all of us old farts will be dead from lack of medical care.  Problem solved!