AI is being used to boost Medicaid enrollment, but not without concerns
Vanessa Barahona received a call from Angelica at Kern Family Health Care in Bakersfield, California, telling her it was time to renew her coverage under Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid.
Medicaid enrollment in Kern County, California, has seen a boost due to the use of an AI program called Angelica. The program, deployed by Kern Family Health Care, the largest provider of Medi-Cal services in the county, helps members schedule appointments and complete necessary paperwork for coverage renewal. Angelica speaks multiple languages, including Spanish, making communication easier for patients.
The software, developed by San Francisco startup Careforce, has helped Kern Family save on payroll costs and avoid the need for 40 full-time workers to handle the increased workload. However, concerns have been raised about the use of AI in healthcare, including potential biases, privacy issues, and the risk of cherry-picking patients for coverage.
Health plan regulators and state officials are closely monitoring the use of AI in Medicaid enrollment to ensure compliance with regulations and protect patient privacy.
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- AI Is Being Used to Boost Medicaid Enrollment, but Not Without Concerns kffhealthnews.org
