Wendell Potter

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.