insurers

Health insurers are turning to artificial intelligence to help determine whether patients are approved for medical care, including prior authorization decisions in programs like Medicare. Reports point to companies such as UnitedHealth, Cigna and Humana using automated systems, and critics warn the algorithms may wrongly deny coverage while saving insurers money. The debate centers on patient safety versus efficiency.

A new report warns that extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves and storms are already inflicting billions of dollars in losses worldwide, and the damage is projected to grow as climate change intensifies. Commentators are weighing the mounting economic toll on infrastructure, agriculture and insurance costs against the pace of efforts to cut emissions and adapt.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed that OpenAI breached Medicare, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. The claim suggests a data or security incident involving the US artificial intelligence company and Australia's national health insurance system. Few details beyond the announcement were available, and it is not yet clear what data was involved or how the breach occurred.