Wendell Potter

These companies, the insurance companies, don't have as much of an incentive as they would like us to believe to control those costs. What they do control... or trying to, the lever that they often say that there are two ways to control prices. One is to do something about the unit cost of goods and services, how much a drug costs, or to limit access to that drug or treatment.

These companies, the insurance companies, don't have as much of an incentive as they would like us to believe to control those costs. What they do control... or trying to, the lever that they often say that there are two ways to control prices. One is to do something about the unit cost of goods and services, how much a drug costs, or to limit access to that drug or treatment.

These companies, the insurance companies, don't have as much of an incentive as they would like us to believe to control those costs. What they do control... or trying to, the lever that they often say that there are two ways to control prices. One is to do something about the unit cost of goods and services, how much a drug costs, or to limit access to that drug or treatment.

And that's where they're really good at. And they have said it's our fault that we we want to use too much health care. So we need to have more skin in the game. That was a phrase that, sadly, I helped get out there to get people to believe that people need to pay more in deductibles because we were using, I said back then, too much health care. It's nonsense. People don't.

And that's where they're really good at. And they have said it's our fault that we we want to use too much health care. So we need to have more skin in the game. That was a phrase that, sadly, I helped get out there to get people to believe that people need to pay more in deductibles because we were using, I said back then, too much health care. It's nonsense. People don't.

And that's where they're really good at. And they have said it's our fault that we we want to use too much health care. So we need to have more skin in the game. That was a phrase that, sadly, I helped get out there to get people to believe that people need to pay more in deductibles because we were using, I said back then, too much health care. It's nonsense. People don't.

necessarily love to go to the doctor. There may be some hypochondriacs, but they're few and far between. People who love to go to the doctor, love to go to the hospital.

necessarily love to go to the doctor. There may be some hypochondriacs, but they're few and far between. People who love to go to the doctor, love to go to the hospital.

necessarily love to go to the doctor. There may be some hypochondriacs, but they're few and far between. People who love to go to the doctor, love to go to the hospital.

That's very important. It's where you start. Again, don't take no for an answer. If you get a bill from a hospital, call the hospital and call your insurance company and say, this can't be right. How can this be the bill that I'm being charged? Because often sometimes there is just an error or a clerical mistake or the insurance company hasn't filed a claim yet.

That's very important. It's where you start. Again, don't take no for an answer. If you get a bill from a hospital, call the hospital and call your insurance company and say, this can't be right. How can this be the bill that I'm being charged? Because often sometimes there is just an error or a clerical mistake or the insurance company hasn't filed a claim yet.

That's very important. It's where you start. Again, don't take no for an answer. If you get a bill from a hospital, call the hospital and call your insurance company and say, this can't be right. How can this be the bill that I'm being charged? Because often sometimes there is just an error or a clerical mistake or the insurance company hasn't filed a claim yet.

And so you're getting a bill from a hospital. Just don't pay that first bill. Start inquiring and appeal a denial. If you are told that the insurance company that you have is going to be refusing to pay for something your doctor says you need, fight that. Know what your appeal rights are. Ask your doctor to help you because the doctor has an incentive to join you in this.

And so you're getting a bill from a hospital. Just don't pay that first bill. Start inquiring and appeal a denial. If you are told that the insurance company that you have is going to be refusing to pay for something your doctor says you need, fight that. Know what your appeal rights are. Ask your doctor to help you because the doctor has an incentive to join you in this.

And so you're getting a bill from a hospital. Just don't pay that first bill. Start inquiring and appeal a denial. If you are told that the insurance company that you have is going to be refusing to pay for something your doctor says you need, fight that. Know what your appeal rights are. Ask your doctor to help you because the doctor has an incentive to join you in this.

Doctors, unfortunately, are having to spend more and more time every day fighting insurance companies to get approvals and to get paid appropriately. But you need to enlist them as well, too.

Doctors, unfortunately, are having to spend more and more time every day fighting insurance companies to get approvals and to get paid appropriately. But you need to enlist them as well, too.

Doctors, unfortunately, are having to spend more and more time every day fighting insurance companies to get approvals and to get paid appropriately. But you need to enlist them as well, too.

Yeah, they don't tell you that in medical school, but that's the reality of their lives. And a lot of them are getting burned out. They're retiring early. They're using this term moral injury to describe what it's like in many cases to be a doctor in America. It's crazy.

Yeah, they don't tell you that in medical school, but that's the reality of their lives. And a lot of them are getting burned out. They're retiring early. They're using this term moral injury to describe what it's like in many cases to be a doctor in America. It's crazy.