Episode Details

Your doctor recommends care. But who decides whether Medicare pays—and who benefits when the answer is no?

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of Medicare’s review process. Newly released [government records](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/09/new-records-reveal-problems-medicares-ai-prior-authorization-experiment) raise serious questions about treatment delays, financial incentives, and patient protections. If you have Medicare—or help someone who does—this LIVE Q&A explains what to ask when care gets held up.

Join Dr. Ed Weir, PhD, former Social Security Administration District Manager, for a plain-English look at Medicare’s WISeR experiment, AI-assisted prior authorization, and the safeguards patients need to understand.

We’ll discuss:

* Who reviews requests for selected Original Medicare services
* Where AI fits—and where licensed clinicians must make decisions
* What the newly released records reveal
* What to ask your doctor’s office when a request is not approved
* How another review differs from an appeal of a denied Medicare claim

The current [WISeR pilot](https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/wiser) covers selected Original Medicare services provided in Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. The accountability questions matter nationally.

Bring your questions about Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, and protecting your benefits. Please keep personal identifying information out of the public chat.

Find [Dr. Ed’s resources and community](https://24help.org/).

#Medicare #MedicareNews #PriorAuthorization

Originally recorded live with Restream.