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Murdered Insurance CEO Had Deployed an AI to Automatically Deny Benefits for Sick People (futurism.com)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Here's an article from last year to add a little more context.

UnitedHealth uses the algorithm to "prematurely and in bad faith discontinue payment for healthcare services," the complaint said.

"This is an example of how AI is being utilized not to help people but to line the pockets of corporations and their shareholders," Clarkson said.

When these coverage denials are appealed to federal administrative law judges, about 90% are reversed, the complaint said, demonstrating the "blatant inaccuracy" of the algorithm. Only a tiny fraction of patients appeal the denials at all, Clarkson said.

Also, UnitedHealth said they stopped using the algorithm, turns out they just renamed it and are now using it to deny or reduce mental health treatments. How UnitedHealth’s Playbook for Limiting Mental Health Coverage Puts Countless Americans’ Treatment at Risk

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago

Ah, yes, creating more work for an already overloaded legal and healthcare system, while pocketing the profits from people who won't fight it. Man, I LOVE capitalism...