Insurers claim AI is already increasing healthcare costs

保险公司声称人工智能已导致医疗成本上升

Hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence tools as they submit insurance claims led to an additional $942 million in healthcare spending over a two-year period, according to an analysis by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. 根据蓝十字蓝盾协会（Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, BCBSA）的一项分析，医院在提交保险索赔时使用人工智能工具，导致两年内医疗支出额外增加了 9.42 亿美元。

The BCBSA analysis found “a sharp increase in patients being documented as having complex conditions,” but argued there is a “clear disconnect between [medical] coding and treatment,” as there’s “no evidence of corresponding change in care delivered.” BCBSA 的分析发现，“被记录为患有复杂疾病的患者数量急剧增加”，但该协会认为“（医疗）编码与实际治疗之间存在明显的脱节”，因为“没有证据表明所提供的护理服务发生了相应的变化”。

The New York Times pointed the analysis as just the latest sign that AI is contributing to an increase in healthcare costs. While battles between hospitals and insurers over treatments and payments are nothing new, the NYT said the use of AI on both sides seems to be making it worse. 《纽约时报》指出，这项分析是人工智能导致医疗成本上升的最新迹象。虽然医院与保险公司之间关于治疗和支付的博弈并不新鲜，但《纽约时报》表示，双方对人工智能的使用似乎正在使情况恶化。

Dr. Shiv Rao, founder of AI startup Abridge, acknowledged that the use of AI could lead to “a horrible dystopic future nobody wants to live in,” with “bots fighting bots, agents fighting agents.” But Rao said it might also reduce tensions and cut costs. 人工智能初创公司 Abridge 的创始人 Shiv Rao 博士承认，人工智能的使用可能会导致“一个没人愿意居住的可怕反乌托邦未来”，即“机器人对抗机器人，智能体对抗智能体”。但 Rao 同时表示，它也可能缓解紧张局势并降低成本。

And the BCBSA’s senior vice president Luke Chalker resisted characterizing the situation as a battle, claiming, “It’s not a war. It’s a completely one-sided blood bath,” with insurers on the losing side. BCBSA 高级副总裁 Luke Chalker 反对将这种情况描述为一场博弈，他声称：“这不是战争，这是一场完全一边倒的屠杀”，而保险公司正处于失败的一方。