Wendell Potter

Universal Healthcare Advocate & Healthcare Industry Whistleblower; Author, "Deadly Spin"

Travels From Travels From:
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Wendell Potter Biography

Wendell Potter, a former U.S. health insurance executive, has become an influential advocate for universal health care and insurance payment reform. His career, which includes notable roles such as the vice president of corporate communications for CIGNA, led him to become a vocal critic of HMOs and the tactics used by health insurers. Potter began his path to whistleblowing and advocacy in July 2007, when the shocking scenes of a touring free clinic in rural Virginia deeply impacted him.

People, mostly without any health insurance, had traveled vast distances and were cramped in long lines to receive basic medical procedures for free. Many were treated in the open air or animal stalls. This experience dramatically altered Potter's perception of the health insurance industry he was part of. Consequently, Potter resigned from CIGNA in 2008 and became an active voice on health care reform, positioning himself as the first and only "health insurance insider" to publicly criticize the industry's stance on Obama health care reforms.

According to Potter, the prioritization of financial goals over patient care, specifically the consistent denial of coverage to meet Wall Street's expectations, was one of the major distortions the insurance industry brought to the national debate. In June 2009, he took a momentous step of testifying before the U.S. Senate about these practices, marking his debut as a whistleblower.

In the years following his testimony, Potter further established his advocacy by testifying before two House committees and briefing several members of Congress and their staffs. His expertise and commitment to reform led to his current roles as a senior analyst at the Center for Public Integrity, a fellow at the Center for Media and Democracy, and a consumer liaison representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. He has also become a prominent media figure, making regular appearances on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and C-SPAN, among others.

As a New York Times bestselling author, Potter continues to share his insights and criticisms of the health insurance industry. His works include "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans," "Obamacare: What's In It For Me? What Everyone Needs to Know About the Affordable Care Act," and "Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts Our Democracy And What We Can Do About It," all published by Bloomsbury Press. Furthermore, he contributes articles to various publications, including HuffPost and Common Dreams.

Beyond his writing and advocacy, Potter launched a nonprofit journalism company and became the president of the Business Initiative for Health Policy, now known as Business for Medicare for All. He continues to be an ardent supporter of the Affordable Care Act and Medicare for All, leveraging his experiences and knowledge to drive change in the health insurance industry.

BOOK Wendell Potter

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/06/2024.

Wendell Potter Speaking Topics

  • As a true industry insider and the one TIME magazine referred to as "the ideal whistleblower, " Wendell Potter offers a truly unique perspective on the issues health care, its uses (and misuses) of "spin", business ethics, and many other timely topics. C

    Potter is happy to tailor each talk for your needs, and the Q&A session is sure to generate conversation and action long after the presentation.

    His presentations include:

    THE WAGES OF SPIN: FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION

    WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE GREAT HEALTH CARE DEBATE

    SHAREHOLDER VALUE AND CORPORATE VALUES: SAME OR DIFFERENT?

    THE ETHICAL CORPORATION: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING

    THE HIDDEN PERSUADERS 2.0: HOW CORPORATE SPIN UNDERMINES GOOD PUBLIC POLICY

    THE NEW WORLD OF HEALTH CARE: WHATS REALLY IN IT AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU

    FEAR: WHEN TO USE IT, WHEN TO LOSE IT-AND HOW TO DO IT

    TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE COMMUNICATING: PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT AND PR

Wendell Potter Videos

  • Everything You Want to Know About Obamacare p2 - YouTube
  • What you need to know about Obamacare part 2 - YouTube

Wendell Potter Books

  • Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts Our Democracy and What We Can Do About It
    Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts Our Democracy and What We Can Do About It
  • Obamacare: What's in It for Me?: What Everyone Needs to Know About the Affordable Care Act
    Obamacare: What's in It for Me?: What Everyone Needs to Know About the Affordable Care Act
  • Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans
    Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans

FAQs on booking Wendell Potter

  • How do I book Wendell Potter to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Wendell Potter for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Wendell Potter, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Wendell Potter or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Wendell Potter

    Speaking fees for Wendell Potter, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Wendell Potter are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Wendell Potter, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Wendell Potter speak about?

    Wendell Potter is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Healthcare.
  • Where does Wendell Potter travel from?

    Wendell Potter generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Wendell Potter’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Wendell Potter for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Wendell Potter for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Wendell Potter or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Wendell Potter is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as As a true industry insider and the one TIME magazine referred to as "the ideal whistleblower, " Wendell Potter offers a truly unique perspective on the issues health care, its uses (and misuses) of "spin", business ethics, and many other timely topics. C. The estimated speaking fee range to book Wendell Potter for your event is available upon request. Wendell Potter generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Glen Tullman, J.D. Kleinke, Paul Keckley, PH.D, Helen Sharkey and Dr. James Weinstein. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Wendell Potter for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP