WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell issued the following press release:
Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, questioned U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about a new artificial intelligence tool that's delaying or even overturning doctor recommendations for Medicare patients.
Under RFK Jr.'s leadership, HHS launched the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model on Jan. 1, 2026 across six states. In those states -- Arizona, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, and Washington - Medicare patients are subject to prior authorization requirement...