For years, seniors and doctors have complained that prior authorization delays can feel like a second illness layered on top of an existing medical problem. Patients waiting for spinal procedures, nerve stimulators, or rehabilitation treatments often spend days or weeks trapped in paperwork limbo while insurers and Medicare contractors review requests. Now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is rolling out an AI-assisted prior authorization system designed to speed up decisions and reduce wasteful healthcare spending. Supporters say the technology could modernize an outdated process that still relies heavily on fax machines and manual reviews. Critics, however, worry the new AI-powered prior authorization system could create even more denials and delays for seniors needing urgent care.
