In a string of tweets, a former executive of Cigna Health just shared the dirty details of the insurance corporation's past efforts to sway public opinion about healthcare in the United States.
Wendell Potter, who according to one tweet "left [Cigna] in 2008 when [he] finally developed a conscience," claimed that he decided to divulge the company's history of deception after witnessing the ongoing brutal effects of the pandemic in the United States.
Amid America's #COVID19 disaster, I must come clean about a lie I spread as a health insurance exec: We spent big $ to push the idea that Canada's single-payer system was awful & the U.S. system much better. It was a lie & the nations' COVID responses prove it. The truth: (1/6)
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 25, 2020
Specifically, Potter explained how and why Cigna Health used circumstantial evidence and pointed messaging to make average Americans skeptical of single-payer healthcare, a nationalized system where the government foots the healthcare bill for all citizens to ensure that everyone is covered.
Potter's Tweets show that the corporation vilified neighboring Canada's single-payer system to ensure the U.S. maintained its contrasting approach to private insurance based healthcare, where Americans pay private, for-profit insurance companies like Cigna Health to provide coverage.
Canada's doing much better than the U.S. when it comes to #COVID19 testing & treatment. On a per capita basis, more Canadians are being tested & fewer getting sick & dying. This may shock Americans who still believe the lies I told about the Canadian health care system. (2/6)
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 25, 2020
Potter began the tell-all by setting the record straight on lies and truths.
"Amid America's #COVID19 disaster, I must come clean about a lie I spread as a health insurance exec: We spent big $ to push the idea that Canada's single-payer system was awful & the U.S. system much better. It was a lie & the nations' COVID responses prove it."
"The truth: Canada's doing much better than the U.S. when it comes to #COVID19 testing & treatment. On a per capita basis, more Canadians are being tested & fewer getting sick & dying. This may shock Americans who still believe the lies I told about the Canadian health care system."
"Here's the truth: Our industry PR & lobbying group, AHIP, supplied my colleagues & me with cherry-picked data & anecdotes to make people think Canadians wait endlessly for their care. It's a lie & I'll always regret the disservice I did to folks on both sides of the border."
Here's the truth: Our industry PR & lobbying group, AHIP, supplied my colleagues & me with cherry-picked data & anecdotes to make people think Canadians wait endlessly for their care. It's a lie & I'll always regret the disservice I did to folks on both sides of the border. (3/6)
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 25, 2020
He then illustrated what he felt were the accurate key differences between U.S. and Canadian healthcare.
"In Canada, no one gets turned away from doctors due to lack of funds. In America, exorbitant bills are a defining feature of the system. What about quality of care? When it comes to #COVID19, there's been ~ 21 deaths per 100,000 in Canada, versus 34 per 100,000 in the U.S."
"Remember, in Canada there are no co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance ever. Care is free at the point of service. And those laid off in Canada don't face the worry of losing their health insurance. In the U.S., millions are losing their jobs & coverage, and scared to death."
Remember, in Canada there are no co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance ever. Care is free at the point of service. And those laid off in Canada don't face the worry of losing their health insurance. In the U.S., millions are losing their jobs & coverage, and scared to death. (5/6)
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 25, 2020
To close the rant, Potter looped back to the pressing nature of the current national crisis.
"You learn a lot about a healthcare system when a global crisis hits & different nations have different results. Canada's single-payer system is saving lives. The U.S. profit-driven corporate model is failing. I'll regret slandering Canada's system for the rest of my life."
You learn a lot about a healthcare system when a global crisis hits & different nations have different results. Canada's single-payer system is saving lives. The U.S. profit-driven corporate model is failing.
I'll regret slandering Canada's system for the rest of my life. (6/6)
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 25, 2020
Potter followed the string of tweets with a clarification about his current ethos,
He also added a video elaborating on the same information.
Finally, for those interested in this gap between America and Canada on healthcare, I tried to spell it out a bit more in this video. Thank you for spreading this message. We need to break the U.S. free from the greed of the insurance industry. pic.twitter.com/pcSkyMj8ee
— Wendell Potter (@wendellpotter) June 26, 2020
People on Twitter were glad to hear some honesty.
But they certainly didn't leap to give him a pass for his past complicity.
hey you should donate some of that cashola that you made from spreading this lie instead of waiting for people to applaud you for admitting you were a liar.
— Scaachi (@Scaachi) June 25, 2020
The "disservice" you did kept policies in tact that killed thousands. Do you feel directly responsible? "Disservice" seems...light.
— JG (@thejohnprocess) June 25, 2020
You should spend the same amount of money retracting and rectifying what you did.
— TheRadioHead (@ceebdweeb) June 25, 2020
Canadians of Twitter were active as well.
They came forward to confirm his statements.
As a Canadian, I have never had to worry about whether or not I could afford to see a doctor or go to the hospital; We pay into the system through our taxes, and I am more than happy to do that for peace of mind for myself and other Canadians who need medical care.
— Hayley Bartsch 💖💜💙 (@hotschmalley) June 25, 2020
man. I came to the US from Canada for college in 1992 and couldn't believe the propaganda I was hearing. amazing to hear you admit it. people would repeat your lies and I'd say "but I literally lived in Canada all my life. My dad had open heart surgery in Canada."
— Lee County (AL) Dems (@LCDCAlabama) June 25, 2020
This. When I travel through USA it's the first thing people ask me about when they find out I'm from 🇨🇦. Have spent many hours disproving misinformation about our healthcare system. My aunt had stage 4 cancer, was diagnosed and in surgery within days, plus ICU for a week = $0
— Sasa K (@KenyonSara) June 25, 2020
As a Canadian, it's Important for Americans to know: we are all sooo confused whenever Americans rail against our healthcare system. What the lobbies say about our healthcare system just isn't what we experience first-hand. We've been gaslit for decades
— Seraphina👩🏼🦽💨 (@_IAmSeraphina) June 25, 2020
Ditto from Australia. The US has 13 times the population of Australia but more than 1200 times the COVID death rate, yet Americans are force-fed the bald lie that healthcare systems such as Canada's or Australia's are failures, and/or a slippery slope to communism - or something.
— Squiffig (@Squiffig) June 26, 2020
My husband is from Canada. We had a baby in the US, I didn't have insurance. She was fine no health issues. Over 25k later I was in debt and couldn't pay my medical bills. Meanwhile his sister had a baby, it was covered and she got a year off paid to be home with the child.
— Beansidhe Fae (@beansidhe_fae) June 26, 2020
Unfortunately Potter's revelations will not affect sweeping change overnight. For now, the pandemic rages on across the U.S. with that old "failing model" firmly in place.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
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