Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner’s latest bill, SB815, would prohibit health insurance companies use of artificial intelligence to delay, deny or modify claims.
As Senate Business and Commerce Committee chair, Schwertner is studying the development and use of AI. The emphasis is on industry standards, consumer protections and compliance processes.
Schwertner also will serve on Senate Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on State Affairs and the newly established Senate Committee on Economic Development in the 89th Legislature.
In recent years, there have been growing reports of insurance companies using AI to process claims and review prior authorization requests. There are concerns that the rapid development of the technology has not allowed for consumer protections to be established to ensure that patients’ best interests are being addressed.
SB 815 would prohibit health insurance companies from using AI to determine medical necessity on behalf of patients. In addition, it would give the Texas Department of Insurance the authority to inspect or audit a health plan’s benefits to ensure compliance.
“Artificial intelligence is a technology that is still rapidly developing and has enormous potential to support many systems, including healthcare,” Sen. Schwertner said. “However, this technology should not be used to make critical, sometimes life-saving decisions regarding a patient’s care. We simply cannot and should not solely rely on algorithms to understand the complexities and unique needs of patients.”
