River Bend Times

U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), an ophthalmologist and advocate for healthcare innovation, has voiced support for language in the FY26 House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Report that encourages the use of autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diabetic eye care access in rural areas.

“Diabetic retinopathy is both preventable and treatable, yet millions of Americans—especially in rural areas—are not getting the annual eye exams they need,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks. “We must embrace FDA-cleared technologies like autonomous AI to close this dangerous gap, free up specialists to practice at the top of their license, and deliver earlier, better care to our constituents. I’m proud to help lead this effort in Congress.”

Dr. Michael Repka, President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, stated: "We commend Representative Miller-Meeks for her leadership in advancing tools that can expand access to critical eye care services in rural communities. Her support for autonomous AI as a scalable, proven solution to increase diabetic retinopathy screenings is an important step and the Academy shares her commitment to reducing preventable vision loss nationwide."

Dr. Michael Abramoff, Founder of Digital Diagnostics, added: "Thanks to Representative Miller-Meeks' leadership as both a lawmaker and ophthalmologist, Congress is recognizing the importance of empowering primary care providers to catch disease early with autonomous AI. This appropriations language marks an important milestone for health equity and AI innovation in the United States."

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies said: "President Trump’s Executive Order makes clear that American leadership in artificial intelligence must be backed by real-world applications that improve people’s lives. This report language supports the use of proven AI technology to help detect diabetic eye disease earlier and make care more accessible in rural areas. It is a practical step to improve screenings while strengthening local health systems and America’s leadership in next-generation technologies.”

The report calls on the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to promote FDA-cleared autonomous AI technology at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) as a way to address gaps in screening for diabetic retinopathy—the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. In 2024 alone, over 32 million patients received care at FQHCs across the U.S., highlighting these centers’ potential role in expanding access through new technology.

Earlier this year, Rep. Miller-Meeks hosted a Capitol Hill briefing featuring Dr. Abramoff discussing LumineticsCore—the first FDA-cleared autonomous AI system capable of making medical diagnoses without physician involvement.

The appropriations language recommends HRSA take several actions: support FQHCs serving diabetic populations with low screening adherence; expand access to autonomous AI; establish referral pathways from primary care providers to ophthalmologists; and collaborate with specialty societies for responsible deployment.

This initiative aligns with President Trump’s 2025 Executive Order aimed at removing barriers for American leadership in artificial intelligence by supporting regulatory reform and practical adoption across sectors such as healthcare.

Additionally, CPT code 92229—created by the American Medical Association—is now part of Medicare's Physician Fee Schedule. This allows FDA-cleared autonomous AI-based diabetic eye screenings without requiring physician interpretation of images.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks has represented Iowa’s 1st district since 2021 after succeeding Dave Loebsack https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks. She previously served in the Iowa Senate from 2019 until joining Congress https://www.congress.gov/member/mariannette-miller-meeks/M001225. Born in Herlong, California in 1955, she currently resides in Le Claire https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/M001225.