In the Peach State, a bill has been introduced to pump the brakes on the use of artificial intelligence in some very human decisions. Democratic State Rep. Mandisha Thomas has put forward legislation that would restrict the influence of AI in crucial health insurance decisions within Georgia. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, House Bill 887 aims to prevent healthcare coverage determinations from being made solely on the basis of algorithms.
The bill stipulates that before an insurance policy can determine whether a treatment is covered, an additional review by a real person is required. "No actions shall be taken concerning healthcare based solely on results derived from the use or application of artificial intelligence or utilizing automated decision tools," Thomas' proposed legislation reads. This move comes after the state saw a law passed last year that placed limitations on AI in optometric care and insurance coverage, as pointed out by WSB-TV.
Thomas, who represents South Fulton, is not only directing her legislative efforts at the health insurance industry. Her bill would also demand that any public assistance-decision, made via automated processes, receives a thorough review by an individual vested with the authority to override the algorithm's decisions. This would bring a much-needed human touch back to the proceedings concerning matters of health care and public assistance, where personal nuances often play a vital role.
Furthermore, House Bill 887 requires for the Georgia Composite Medical Board to adopt new regulations that manage how artificial intelligence can be used for insurance coverage decisions. The proposed rules would also articulate potential consequences for doctors who run afoul of these restrictions. Thomas is pushing for a systemic change that ensures technology aides, rather than replaces, the discretion of medical professionals and insurance reviewers.
