As a women's health advocate for over 26 years, I want to confirm that I have seen this play out over many years. There's no question, some people pay out of pocket rather than tangle with the appeals process, though it so often works. I applaud the makers of this film and the wonderful people at this clinic for doing what needs to be done for their patients.
Wendell, thank you for extending your platform to these fantastic advocacy efforts. It is not easy speaking truth. Julie and Claudia are simply AMAZING! Some other advocates are being targeted in an attempt to silence them. https://casetext.com/case/paydhealth-llc-v-holcombe
The system is so complex. The average American can be so confused by it. I have been working in healthcare in multiple capacities for over 30 years. The system needs to change.
I try to help families and friends the best that I can do; but even at times I get confused. It should not be so complicated!
Shout out to all the patients, pharmds, physicians and taxpayers that have been delayed and denied by the insurance companies who do NONE of the actual healthcare and make profits off the backs of everyone. Claimable is a game-changer to help patients APPEAL their denied care. Thank you Wendell Potter for carrying the message to advocate for access to care. Julie Baak
Absolutely true. As a disabled veteran, I'm discovering many ways that the Reaganists ("privatize!") are closing around the VA also. I'm told, as a Diabetic Type 2 doing through a crisis, that I cannot check my glucose more than twice a week. The VA will not provide any more test strips, even while I pay a co-pay. So I'll have to go to CVS or the like to buy more.
Also, I'm now told I can only see my doctor once a year. Whatever else I need will have to be either by phone/email or not at all. Where does this end? I think 20 JAN 25 will be a day that lives in infamy... only for so long, because the system is collapsing... has to collapse.... and the sociopaths of reaganism just want to grab what they can before the end engulfs us.
As of spring 2025, I got a helping hand from a sane person in Pharma at the VA, and I now have my daily measuring tools (finger pricks, measuring strips, etc). Hope they don't find out and cut the supply off. JTC
I experience this a lot with my daughter who is medically fragile and medically complex. Our insurance and pharmacy have caused 2-3 hospital stays because of not covering medicine. Thankfully, there is a department at my daughter's doctor's office that helps patients with appeals. We hope we can avoid another hospital stay.
I find this Substack newsletter extremely informative. My questions to Mr. Potter: what are the best practices the ideal health insurance company would employ? Is there any possibility of a non-profit health care company being created that would use these practices and compete with the existing health care companies?
Direct Contracting with the physicians and pharmacists who do the actual work. Cut out the middlemen Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) looking at Express Scripts, Optum and CVS Caremark. Show these crooks the door.
Health care should not be part of the profit over all else system. How do you like people like Bill Gates making health care decisions for you? He's always been about maximizing the return on his investments. And I don't want a health system that forces you to take something into your body that you don't want. If the covid shots are "safe and effective," then the people that took the shots are safe, right?
Contact your US Senators and Congressmen and women to complain about the health insurance companies that are all about making money, denying claims and hiring lobbyists to persuade and bribe those elected officials to support bills in their favor. It's a rigged system and it's appalling. Go on your computer, research with questions, like the financial intent of the shareholders and CEO's of the for profit insurance companies, which ones are the worst, the problem with Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers (PBM) and which elected officials are getting paid by lobbyists. There are lots of articles. it's about them making money, not our health or our quality of healthcare.
As a women's health advocate for over 26 years, I want to confirm that I have seen this play out over many years. There's no question, some people pay out of pocket rather than tangle with the appeals process, though it so often works. I applaud the makers of this film and the wonderful people at this clinic for doing what needs to be done for their patients.
The patents who are capable of paying out of pocket are the lucky ones.
Wendell, thank you for extending your platform to these fantastic advocacy efforts. It is not easy speaking truth. Julie and Claudia are simply AMAZING! Some other advocates are being targeted in an attempt to silence them. https://casetext.com/case/paydhealth-llc-v-holcombe
Thank you for continuing to highlight these issues. Yes, the healthcare system must change.
The system is so complex. The average American can be so confused by it. I have been working in healthcare in multiple capacities for over 30 years. The system needs to change.
I try to help families and friends the best that I can do; but even at times I get confused. It should not be so complicated!
No other advanced nation on Earth allows the ridiculous over-complexity and over-pricing of health coverage that ours does.
Cost containment is simple. Fire everyone who works in cost containment.
When insurers say “cost containment, they mean “profit enhancing” practices, for their benefit! Profiteering off people
suffering has no place in health CARE!
I know. I agree.
Shout out to all the patients, pharmds, physicians and taxpayers that have been delayed and denied by the insurance companies who do NONE of the actual healthcare and make profits off the backs of everyone. Claimable is a game-changer to help patients APPEAL their denied care. Thank you Wendell Potter for carrying the message to advocate for access to care. Julie Baak
Absolutely true. As a disabled veteran, I'm discovering many ways that the Reaganists ("privatize!") are closing around the VA also. I'm told, as a Diabetic Type 2 doing through a crisis, that I cannot check my glucose more than twice a week. The VA will not provide any more test strips, even while I pay a co-pay. So I'll have to go to CVS or the like to buy more.
Also, I'm now told I can only see my doctor once a year. Whatever else I need will have to be either by phone/email or not at all. Where does this end? I think 20 JAN 25 will be a day that lives in infamy... only for so long, because the system is collapsing... has to collapse.... and the sociopaths of reaganism just want to grab what they can before the end engulfs us.
John T. Cullen JTC Sheep Heil!
johntcullen.substack.com
MARA Make America Real Again
As of spring 2025, I got a helping hand from a sane person in Pharma at the VA, and I now have my daily measuring tools (finger pricks, measuring strips, etc). Hope they don't find out and cut the supply off. JTC
I experience this a lot with my daughter who is medically fragile and medically complex. Our insurance and pharmacy have caused 2-3 hospital stays because of not covering medicine. Thankfully, there is a department at my daughter's doctor's office that helps patients with appeals. We hope we can avoid another hospital stay.
I find this Substack newsletter extremely informative. My questions to Mr. Potter: what are the best practices the ideal health insurance company would employ? Is there any possibility of a non-profit health care company being created that would use these practices and compete with the existing health care companies?
Direct Contracting with the physicians and pharmacists who do the actual work. Cut out the middlemen Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) looking at Express Scripts, Optum and CVS Caremark. Show these crooks the door.
Health care should not be part of the profit over all else system. How do you like people like Bill Gates making health care decisions for you? He's always been about maximizing the return on his investments. And I don't want a health system that forces you to take something into your body that you don't want. If the covid shots are "safe and effective," then the people that took the shots are safe, right?
This is an old post 2024. Now it is Jan 2026. Do you have new information available?
Contact your US Senators and Congressmen and women to complain about the health insurance companies that are all about making money, denying claims and hiring lobbyists to persuade and bribe those elected officials to support bills in their favor. It's a rigged system and it's appalling. Go on your computer, research with questions, like the financial intent of the shareholders and CEO's of the for profit insurance companies, which ones are the worst, the problem with Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers (PBM) and which elected officials are getting paid by lobbyists. There are lots of articles. it's about them making money, not our health or our quality of healthcare.
Just encountered this, agree 100%.
In addition, drug costs MUST be addressed, beginning with allowing CMS to negotiate prices.
The EMBED code provided does NOT WORK. Please fix so film can be more easily shared, or upload to YOUTUBE. Thx.