The Al Franken Podcast Wendell Potter on The Healthcare Crisis
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Jan 25, 2026 Wendell Potter, former Cigna VP turned whistleblower and health reform advocate. He recounts two harrowing stories that pushed him to speak out. He explains how prior authorization, high deductibles, PBMs, and expired ACA subsidies destabilize the market. He discusses Medicare Advantage, vertical integration, and why policy choices matter now more than ever.
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Rural Clinic In A Barn
- Wendell Potter visited a rural healthcare event and saw people waiting in barns for care despite having insurance or Medicare.
- He realized high-deductible plans pushed insured people to forgo needed care and go into debt.
Denial That Cost A Life
- A 17-year-old in Los Angeles was denied a liver transplant by Cigna and later died after the company reversed its decision.
- Wendell left the industry partly because delays and denials like that cost lives and were legally routine.
How Insurers Sidestep The MLR
- The ACA's medical loss ratio was intended to force insurers to spend 80–85% on care but regulators allowed broad accounting workarounds.
- Insurers bought delivery systems to shift spending outside the MLR and preserve profits.