AI, Tech Leaders Are Lobbying Trump Health Officials in a Government-Run Chat Room
A Slack workspace managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has served as an extraordinary war room for AI industry insiders and Trump administration officials to launch a rapid campaign aimed at persuading Americans to manage their healthcare and medical records on apps.
A group of influential figures, including tech entrepreneurs, financiers, and high-ranking Trump administration officials, have been quietly working for a year to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and medical records management. The administration has allowed these companies to influence the health department's approach to AI in healthcare, with federal health officials inviting businesses to a meeting on conversational AI products for patients in February.
The meeting, held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), focused on explaining how these AI products access patients' sensitive medical information. However, the meeting was not publicly announced or accessible, as it took place on a Slack messaging service. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has set up a chat room on Slack for industry professionals to discuss and shape federal policy on AI in healthcare.
CMS officials have not formally announced the chat room, but CMS staff have discussed it at industry conferences. Legal experts argue that the chat room resembles a federal advisory panel, which would require public operation. KFF Health News reviewed Slack messages, meeting transcripts, and video recordings to reveal how the Trump administration has granted the industry direct access to top government officials.
The conversation occurred behind the scenes as federal health officials worked to integrate AI and technology into various aspects of healthcare, a plan they have named the "Health Technology Ecosystem." CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz stated in September that they wanted to give the industry a chance to participate in the government-supported healthcare system.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supported AI in healthcare, claiming it is "much better informed than any doctor in the country." Meanwhile, HHS staff promised that a recently launched Medicare App Library would serve as a lucrative platform for these businesses to gain new users. The library currently features only two dozen commercial apps for millions of American seniors and individuals with disabilities.
While officials claim that Americans will have easier access to their medical records, allowing apps to provide health or wellness advice, doctors are increasingly concerned about the use and sharing of patients' medical records with this new technology. John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association, stated that "some of these tools just aren't ready for primetime."
CMS officials have declined several questions about the Slack workspace, including its legality. CMS is focused on providing Medicare beneficiaries greater access to their health information and useful digital tools while promoting an open, interoperable healthcare system.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
