Where We Live: The Insurance Spin-doctor Speaks Out
Wendell Potter on how the industry’s PR machine manipulated the public
As state insurance regulators face tough questions about rate increase proposals by Anthem, and newly-empowered Republicans in Washington saddle up to dismember the new federal health care laws, Wendell Potter’s got a new book out. Timing, anyone?
Potter is the former CIGNA public relations guru, who quit his high-paying job to become one of the insurance industry’s biggest critics. His new book is called, “Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out On How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans.” It’s a mouthful, but he’s got a lot to say – about corporate profits, denials of coverage, and a personal journey that led him to realize that real health care reform is what America needs.
Potter is a former West Hartford resident who worked at CIGNA for fifteen years, and claims to have written many of the industry’s talking points himself.
Today on Where We Live, a conversation about the insurance industry and health care reform.
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Wendell Potter - Whistleblower
I have nothing but tremendous admiration for this man (have ordered his book - can't wait to see it!) He is indeed very courageous and has done this country a great service by exposing not only the failures of our health care system, the abuses of the corporate insurance world - but especially as a much-needed counter-voice to the lies and distortions on health care reform of the right-wing corporate front groups, mostly funded - and controlled - by Koch brothers. I have been so distressed by the constant drumbeat of misrepresentation by d isingenuous Republican Congressmen and all the negative (big bucks)ads- describing health care reform as gov't takeover, even equating it with the holocaust, etc. to the point that much of the American public has been literally brainwashed.I am just hoping Mr.Potter's book gets the attention it deserves and has the impact that is so badly needed on the (insurance industry-created) misconceptions held by so many Americans. I actually feel a great sense of relief (having been very frustrated and angered by the distorted message) that Mr. Potter (whom I've also listened to intently on Rachel Maddow) has written this book and is taking on the myths that are morally and financially bankrupting our country. Heis also a very articulate, sober, sensible-sounding man!! Great interview!!
WNPR - tell us what we can do as individual citizens (aside from emailing all my friends and colleagues about this book.)
Sincerely,
Carol C. Schaefer
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