Google tells employees: If you want health benefits, sign up with a third-party AI tool

"Google told employees who want health benefits that they must allow a third-party AI healthcare tool to access their data, a move that has rankled some staff members. If they decline it, they will not receive health coverage. The company announced this month that US-based employees who wish to sign up for health benefits through its parent company Alphabet in the coming enrollment period must grant access to AI-powered tools provided by Nayya, which offers personalized benefits recommendations, according to internal documents reviewed by Business Insider."

"Nayya's tool allows employees to input information about their health and lifestyle, and provides recommendations on benefits to choose. "Nayya provides core health plan operating services to optimize your benefits usage, so Alphabet health plan participants can't entirely opt out of third-party data sharing (as permitted under HIPAA)," reads an internal resource page for employees. "To opt out of health supplier data sharing going forward, unenroll from the Alphabet-provided benefits during Open Enrollment or when you experience a qualified Family Status Change," it continued."

Google requires US-based employees to grant access to a third-party AI tool from Nayya to enroll in Alphabet-provided health benefits during the upcoming enrollment period. Employees who decline access will be deemed ineligible for company health coverage. Nayya's tool can collect demographic, health, and lifestyle information to provide personalized benefits recommendations and operates core health plan services that limit opt-out options under HIPAA allowances. Employees can avoid the data sharing requirement only by unenrolling from Alphabet benefits during Open Enrollment or after a qualified Family Status Change. Some staff have raised concerns about the requirement in internal communications.

Read at Business Insider