CMS Administrator Oz Says Agency Will Fast-Track AI Health Tools While Developing Tiered Risk Safeguards

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz said at the Healthcare of Tomorrow conference that CMS plans to increase patient access to new health technologies including AI tools, while building out risk-tiered frameworks that distinguish low-stakes second-opinion apps from high-risk oncology decision tools. Oz cited a pilot already underway allowing AI to autonomously renew prescriptions for low-risk patients without a physician visit. The remarks represent a materially more permissive posture toward AI clinical tools than prior administrations and could accelerate AI integration across the US healthcare system.