“Deadly Spin” On Health Care

Insider information on the health insurance industry is landing on the desks of Wyoming legislators and task force members this week - as they look at how to implement the Affordable Care Act. They’re receiving copies of the book “Deadly Spin,” by Wendell Potter.

Potter was an executive at Cigna for 20 years, and he says his story helps provide context as insurance reforms fall into place.

In his book "Deadly Spin" Potter says that insurance benefits, and decisions about who is allowed to buy coverage, are strictly profit decisions...decisions, he says, that have played into the health care crisis.

"insurance benefitshave directly caused the rising number of people who are uninsured. Other practices have led to an even faster growing number of people who are under-insured."

Potter says he often hears people argue that health care reform isn’t needed, and that a free market approach will address concerns.

"Well, that’s what we’ve been relying on, that’s what we’ve been trying, for decades now, and matters have only gotten worse."

Potter’s book has won several awards and faced strong criticism from insurance industry leaders, who have called it misleading. Project Healthcare: Consumer Advocates of Wyoming is presenting copies of the book to every member of the Joint Interim Labor, Health and Social Services Committee and the Wyoming Health Benefit Exchange Task Force.