On Tuesday, a Florida Senate committee passed a bill aimed at prohibiting insurers from relying solely on artificial intelligence to deny insurance claims, emphasizing that such decisions must involve a “qualified human professional.”

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee unanimously supported SB 794, aligning Florida with other states examining AI’s role in insurance decisions. Bill sponsor Senator Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) stated, “We aim to balance innovation with consumer protection, ensuring accountability in the use of algorithms.”

Under the proposed legislation, insurers must ensure that claim denials are decided by qualified human professionals. These professionals would evaluate claims and policies, verifying the accuracy of any AI, machine learning, or algorithmic outputs. The bill explicitly states, “An algorithm, artificial intelligence system, or machine learning system cannot be the sole basis for adjusting or denying a claim.”

A Senate staff analysis noted that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and several states have recently addressed AI in insurance. For instance, California passed a law last year requiring healthcare decisions to be made by providers, not solely AI, following lawsuits in California and Minnesota over the past three years alleging health insurers used AI to screen or deny claims. Now, Florida may follow.

The bill received little debate during the session but gained support from the Florida Medical Association, a group often at odds with insurers. Bradley mentioned ongoing discussions with insurers to address concerns. She emphasized, “While AI can enhance efficiency and accuracy, this bill mitigates risks of inaccuracies and biases, prioritizing human judgment to complement, not replace, critical oversight.”

SB 794 requires approval from two additional committees before reaching the full Senate. Meanwhile, Representative Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach) has introduced a broader House bill, HB 1555, mandating human review of claim denials, though it has yet to be heard in committee.

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