When the world is trying to unite amid one of the greatest crises in recent decades, there are always some people who try to take advantage of it. This time it’s not about stockpiling and price gouging, but something on a much larger scale.

We’re talking about health insurance companies. Wendell Potter, a whistleblower and former vice president of one health insurance company, has warned people to keep an eye on every move of that good ol’ industry.

In a series of Twitter posts, he busted all the sinister tactics some insurance corporations use to “deny care and maintain profits while making it look like they’re heroes.” Potter insists “not to count on” things they claim because “this pandemic will reveal how devastating insurers’ greed” will be to so many Americans.

Bored Panda contacted Wendell Potter to find out more about healthcare insurers’ tactics amid the coronavirus outbreak. Scroll down to find out what he said below.

More info: Twitter | Facebook | WendellPotter.com

This advocate for healthcare reform has warned people about health insurers’ tricks in a series of tweets

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Wendell Potter, a New York Times bestselling author and an advocate of health insurance reform, told Bored Panda that the coronavirus pandemic is waking more people up to the reality. “Our system is on the verge of collapse, in large part because we have allowed private insurers to run that system.” In fact, “for one thing, the days in which they call the shots in this country are numbered.”

One cannot help but wonder how the insurers get away with all their machination. Potter explained: “One is because we have never had adequate oversight and regulation of the health insurance business in this country.” Everyone has taken a patchwork approach to regulation. What’s more, “most people with private health insurance get their coverage through their employers, and because of a federal law enacted several years ago, those health plans are exempt from state regulation.”

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Potter believes that during the current public health crisis, Americans are particularly vulnerable. This is because, unlike in other developed countries, “we’re nowhere close to having universal coverage.” Even 10 years after the Affordable Care Act was passed, “we have approximately 30 million people who are uninsured—plus another 60 million who are underinsured.” And that will put themselves and others in danger. Potter explained: “many people in this country are reluctant to seek the care they need because of the expense. Undoubtedly, he went on further, “many Americans will not get tested, much less seek treatment, for fear of having to pay money they simply don’t have.”

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

Image credits: wendellpotter

People voiced their opinions on health insurers amid the coronavirus outbreak

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