The Center for Data Innovation recently spoke with Oren Wei, CEO of Codahx, a U.S.-based company, creating an AI-powered healthtech platform to address the lack of transparency and accuracy in U.S. medical billing. Wei explained how Codahx uses advanced machine learning models trained on national billing standards to help patients understand, verify, and potentially reduce their healthcare expenses.
David Kertai: What does Codahx’s AI platform offer?
Oren Wei: In the United States, medical bills are notoriously expensive, confusing, and often contain errors. Patients often receive complex, jargon-filled statements and don’t fully understand what they’re paying for, or whether the charges are even accurate. This lack of clarity, combined with the high cost of care, places a significant burden on patients, especially those already struggling financially.
Codahx tackles this issue head-on. Our AI tool analyzes medical bills, extracts and interprets key information, and translates it into clear, accessible language. It highlights what each charge means and flags potential errors or inconsistencies. Additionally, it identifies cost-saving opportunities, such as financial assistance programs patients may qualify for. We designed our tool to give patients clarity and control over their healthcare expenses.
Kertai: How does your AI platform analyze medical bills?
Wei: Medical billing in the United States uses standardized coding systems, specifically, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. These schemas create a structured language for describing everything from consultations and treatments to lab work and prescriptions.
We trained our AI tool on these national coding dictionaries and incorporated clinical context, enabling it to understand the logic behind medical charges. Using machine learning frameworks and natural language processing models, our tool reviews billing data, compares it against established coding guidelines, and identifies inconsistencies or rule violations. Instead of offering definitive judgments, it flags suspicious charges and explains the reasoning, allowing patients to follow up with billing or insurance experts for resolution.
Kertai: How do you ensure ethical AI use in healthcare?
Wei: We built Codahx with ethics and data privacy as foundational principles. We consulted healthcare attorneys, billing specialists, and compliance experts to ensure our data protocols align with HIPAA and other healthcare regulations. We encrypt all patient data and maintain strict access controls.
Since AI is inherently probabilistic, we continuously test and retrain our models to improve accuracy and reduce errors. Our system doesn’t make final decisions. Instead, it offers informed suggestions and highlights areas for review, supporting, not replacing, professional medical or billing expertise. This approach ensures transparency while minimizing the risk of misinformation.
Kertai: What challenges have you faced as a tech innovator?
Wei: Innovating in healthcare is particularly challenging. It’s a heavily regulated, risk-averse sector where earning the trust of both patients and medical professionals requires time and consistent performance. Healthcare institutions are often hesitant to adopt new technologies, even those that have become standard in other industries.
To address this, we prioritize education and performance. We demonstrate the value of our tool through accuracy, ease of use, and tangible cost savings. While change in healthcare moves slowly, it’s essential, and we believe our AI platform plays a meaningful role in driving that transformation.
Kertai: Can you share real-world examples of your product in use?
Wei: One story that stands out involves a man from Illinois who found Codahx through our website. After a car accident left him and his wife with thousands of dollars in medical bills, he reached out to us for help.
Our AI tool reviewed the lengthy bills and identified several errors. Ultimately, he saved over $400, money he would have otherwise paid without question. That experience validated our mission and showed us how our technology can make a real impact. It reinforced our commitment to helping patients navigate a system that often feels overwhelming and opaque.
We see Codahx as more than just a tool. It’s a step toward creating a more transparent and equitable healthcare payment system. AI gives us a powerful opportunity to modernize an industry that affects millions, ensuring patients only pay for what they truly owe, and fully understand what they’re paying for.
