Wendell Potter

It's usually the big ticket items, but not necessarily. Sometimes they'll nickel and dime you to death because these companies have millions of people enrolled in their health plan. So every nickel, all that adds up. But it's mainly when someone gets sick. Most of us in a given year, thank goodness, are relatively healthy. We don't test the limits. of our healthcare plan.

And don't go on vacation, go to Hawaii and have something happen to you. Things do happen to you ultimately, but they get away with what they get away with because in a given year, most of us think we're going to be just fine. If I get sick, if I get injured, I've got good health insurance, no problem. until they do get sick or injured and find out they do, in many cases, have a very big problem.

And don't go on vacation, go to Hawaii and have something happen to you. Things do happen to you ultimately, but they get away with what they get away with because in a given year, most of us think we're going to be just fine. If I get sick, if I get injured, I've got good health insurance, no problem. until they do get sick or injured and find out they do, in many cases, have a very big problem.

And don't go on vacation, go to Hawaii and have something happen to you. Things do happen to you ultimately, but they get away with what they get away with because in a given year, most of us think we're going to be just fine. If I get sick, if I get injured, I've got good health insurance, no problem. until they do get sick or injured and find out they do, in many cases, have a very big problem.

Yeah, there were actually a couple of things that happened within a few months of each other. I grew up in Tennessee and I went back to visit family in the summer. It was in July. And I picked up my hometown newspaper where I had actually worked as a young reporter, as an intern.

Yeah, there were actually a couple of things that happened within a few months of each other. I grew up in Tennessee and I went back to visit family in the summer. It was in July. And I picked up my hometown newspaper where I had actually worked as a young reporter, as an intern.

Yeah, there were actually a couple of things that happened within a few months of each other. I grew up in Tennessee and I went back to visit family in the summer. It was in July. And I picked up my hometown newspaper where I had actually worked as a young reporter, as an intern.

There's a story on the front page that said that there was a big outdoor health care clinic that was being held a few miles from where I grew up at a county fairgrounds. And I was curious. I've been to county fairgrounds all my life growing up. And they said thousands of people were expected to converge on this county fairground in Wise County, Virginia.

There's a story on the front page that said that there was a big outdoor health care clinic that was being held a few miles from where I grew up at a county fairgrounds. And I was curious. I've been to county fairgrounds all my life growing up. And they said thousands of people were expected to converge on this county fairground in Wise County, Virginia.

There's a story on the front page that said that there was a big outdoor health care clinic that was being held a few miles from where I grew up at a county fairgrounds. And I was curious. I've been to county fairgrounds all my life growing up. And they said thousands of people were expected to converge on this county fairground in Wise County, Virginia.

I grew up in that part of Tennessee that's right up against the Virginia state line. I went there out of curiosity. I borrowed my dad's car and drove there because I'd never heard of anything like this. And I can't tell you, it was almost like there was some divine intervention that drew me to that story and compelled me to go to this place as if I needed to see it.

I grew up in that part of Tennessee that's right up against the Virginia state line. I went there out of curiosity. I borrowed my dad's car and drove there because I'd never heard of anything like this. And I can't tell you, it was almost like there was some divine intervention that drew me to that story and compelled me to go to this place as if I needed to see it.

I grew up in that part of Tennessee that's right up against the Virginia state line. I went there out of curiosity. I borrowed my dad's car and drove there because I'd never heard of anything like this. And I can't tell you, it was almost like there was some divine intervention that drew me to that story and compelled me to go to this place as if I needed to see it.

I've often said that the road between Kingsport, Tennessee and Wise County, Virginia was my road to Damascus. Because when I got to that fairground site and walked through the gates, I saw something I just... couldn't imagine ever seeing, witnessing in this country.

I've often said that the road between Kingsport, Tennessee and Wise County, Virginia was my road to Damascus. Because when I got to that fairground site and walked through the gates, I saw something I just... couldn't imagine ever seeing, witnessing in this country.

I've often said that the road between Kingsport, Tennessee and Wise County, Virginia was my road to Damascus. Because when I got to that fairground site and walked through the gates, I saw something I just... couldn't imagine ever seeing, witnessing in this country.

There were people who were lined up by the hundreds in many lines, and they were soaking wet because it had been raining before I got there, but they weren't about to leave their place in line. Many of these folks had spent the night, sometimes two nights or more, in their cars waiting for this event to start. And many of them, I found out later, by the way, had health insurance. But what I saw

There were people who were lined up by the hundreds in many lines, and they were soaking wet because it had been raining before I got there, but they weren't about to leave their place in line. Many of these folks had spent the night, sometimes two nights or more, in their cars waiting for this event to start. And many of them, I found out later, by the way, had health insurance. But what I saw

There were people who were lined up by the hundreds in many lines, and they were soaking wet because it had been raining before I got there, but they weren't about to leave their place in line. Many of these folks had spent the night, sometimes two nights or more, in their cars waiting for this event to start. And many of them, I found out later, by the way, had health insurance. But what I saw

when I paid attention to these lines was that in many cases, they were leading to animal stalls. Volunteers had cleaned up the animal stalls. This was the county fairground. And just weeks before, they had prized horses and pigs in these animal stalls. They had doctors who were volunteering their time and nurses. treating people in animal stalls. And it just did something to me.