ACA Supports Doctors Not AI Act

As a member of the Mental Health Liaison Group, the American Counseling Association (ACA) has joined Inseparable and 44 mental health and medical organizations in supporting the Doctors Not AI Act (H.R. 10210). The bipartisan bill would put safeguards in place around how health insurance companies use artificial intelligence (AI) when making decisions about a person’s health care coverage.

Health insurance companies are increasingly using AI, algorithms and other automated tools to review claims and decide whether care is medically necessary. While these tools can help make some administrative processes more efficient, decisions that determine whether someone can receive needed care should involve the judgment of a qualified health care professional. This is especially important for people seeking mental health and substance use disorder services, where delays or denials can have serious consequences.

The Doctors Not AI Act would still allow health plans to use AI as a tool, but it would prevent AI from making coverage denials that require clinical judgment. Instead, medical necessity denials would need to be made by a licensed health care professional with the appropriate expertise. The bill would also require greater transparency when AI is used in the review process and ensure that a person’s individual circumstances are considered when coverage decisions are made.

The legislation also includes important protections for mental health and substance use disorder care by addressing the use of AI under federal mental health parity requirements. These protections are intended to help prevent behavioral health services from facing greater scrutiny or restrictions simply because automated tools are being used to review care.

ACA supports the responsible use of technology in healthcare, but technology should support clinical decision making, not replace it. We will continue working with our partners to support policies that protect access to behavioral health care and ensure that decisions about treatment remain centered on the needs of clients and the judgment of qualified professionals.

If you would like to become involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, please contact us at advocacy@counseling.org