46% of Americans want AI kept out of insurance claims
A Pew Research Center survey of 3,488 adults finds most people accept AI in health care only when a human makes the final call. Just 5% would let AI decide a claim on its own.
Nearly half of U.S. adults, 46%, do not want AI to have anything to do with deciding health insurance claims, the Pew Research Center reported Oct. 29. Just 5% are open to AI making those calls on its own. Another 38% are open to it if a human does a final review.
Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to 28, 2026, through its American Trends Panel.
Most people accept AI help in health care if a person signs off.
Where people draw the line
Pew asked about eight tasks. Openness falls as the stakes rise.
| Task | Open, AI alone | Open, with human review | Not open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translating for a patient | 26% | 52% | 12% |
| Scheduling an appointment | 29% | 44% | 18% |
| Analyzing medical scans | 6% | 60% | 26% |
| Making a diagnosis | 3% | 47% | 41% |
| Deciding an insurance claim | 5% | 38% | 46% |
Claims rank last. Diagnosis is close behind.
Who people trust to keep AI in check
Pew asked how much confidence people have in six groups to make sure AI is used in patients’ best interest. Health insurers scored lowest. 58% have not too much or no confidence in them, and 11% have a great deal or quite a bit.
Government did not do much better. 55% have little or no confidence in the federal government, and 50% say the same of their state government. AI companies were at 50%.
Doctors were the only group with as much trust as distrust. 26% had high confidence, 25% low.
Comfort with your own doctor
60% say they would be uncomfortable if their doctor used AI for things like diagnoses and treatments. 30% would be comfortable.
The public is split on results. 37% say AI will lead to better health outcomes, 36% say worse, and 26% say not much difference.
Views split by age. Among adults 18 to 29, the share who expect worse outcomes rose from 29% in 2022 to 45% in 2026. Adults 65 and older went the other way: 42% now expect better outcomes, up 8 points since 2022.
Privacy is a bigger worry. 51% say AI will make the security of personal health information worse, and 8% say better. 47% say it will hurt the relationship between patients and doctors.
Why it matters now
Medicare is already testing AI in prior approval. Its WISeR pilot in six states cut epidural steroid injections 15% in the first six months, a JAMA study found. Pew did not ask about prior approval. Claim decisions are the closest task it tested, and they drew the least support.
Most people accept AI for scheduling and translation. Use it to deny a claim with no person in the loop, and only 5% of the public is on board.
What it means for you
If a claim is denied, you can appeal. Medicare explains the steps on its appeals page. Ask for the reason in writing and keep copies of every letter.
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