Laurie's Reel Thing Review: SiCKO
Funny, sad, and yes, scary. That’s how I’d describe Michael Moore’s (“Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 911,” etc.) latest documentary, SiCKO and its attempt to take the temperature of the US health care system (Hint: It’s not feeling too good).
I know that Moore has his own agenda to pursue and facts can be spun in a variety of ways, but his look at the current system (or lack thereof) and its dependence upon the big health care companies’ profit model (as opposed to the “taking care of sick people, no matter what their coverage or means” model) is sobering indeed. I, for one, am glad he’s shining a light on and provoking discussion about this issue because I think it’s one we need to examine more carefully.
Unlike the over 50 million Americans without it, my family is fortunate to have pretty decent health care coverage. But I have seen firsthand how health care costs can quickly spiral out of control and threaten to wipe out someone’s life savings, and so I can’t help but think that there has got to be a better way. When the first thing one worries about after receiving a diagnosis is how to pay for medical care, or when one’s ability to pay directly affects their well-being or even very survival, something’s just not right.
As Moore suggests in the film (I’m paraphrasing here) a society’s worth can be measured by how well it takes care of its weakest members (in this case, the sick and the poor). If this is so, it seems like we have a lot of work to do.
What do you think?
Comments
Speaking from the other side of the border, I don't know how all of you do it. I remember when we were down in Florida a few years back and I have to take my daughter to a clinic. They woulnd't even listen to what was wrong until I had shown them proof I could pay. I was shocked and it made me realize how much we take for granted up here. Now I'm not saying our system is the best and there is flaws but at least I can take my children to a doctor/specialist/surgeon, and if there is an emergency I don't have to worry about if I can afford it.
I hope your government is proactive in coming up with a solution for everyone.
Nurses can tell you that few people in this country go without health care. If they aren't covered by insurance, they are seen in emergency rooms...whether or not they are American citizens.
Our system isn't perfect by any means, but Michael Moore chooses to accentuate the negative and eliminate the positive. He has a track record of manipulating the facts to suit his purposes.
After looking at the big picture, would any of us want to move to Cuba? France is not Utopia either.
The problems can best be addressed when all factors are considered...the positives as well as the negatives. It seems that Michael Moore is wired for negative only. His history of hyperbole hinders his message.
I was never so grateful to be a Canadian citizen as I was when my 1 year old daughter was diagnosed with a tumour the size of grapefruit in her belly. Through it all--the initial diagnosis, the worst news ever, the exhaustive tests (MRI, CAT scan, CT scan, Bone scan....), the month long hospital stay, the major abdominal surgery, the years of follow up care...not once has anyone ever said, "And how will you be paying for that?"
I am throughly convinced that if we'd been Americans, my daughter would be dead and I would be in a financial whole that would leave my other child living in abject poverty for the rest of her life. Instead, I have two healthy, whole daughters, and am no worse off financially than when the nightmare began.
Very interesting and professional site! Good luck!
Some say that those who employ undocumented cleaning ladies, nannies, etc. are causing the rest of us (who do our own cleaning) to pay even more for health care........as emergency room costs (for the undocumented) get passed along to those of us who do pay for health insurance.
How many Americans are employing illegals in their homes and are not providing health insurance for them (or fair wages for the labor)?
The well off who have set up such a situation are benefiting in at least two ways. They're paying little for the labor and they're expecting the rest of us to pay for the health care of those who labor for them.
If they genuinely cared about the health care of every person, wouldn't they start with providing coverage for those who work in their own homes? If they were paying, would they be more interested in individuals making proactive decisions on behalf of their own health (issues involving diet, exercise, smoking, number of births, etc.)
The topic of health care is multi-faceted.
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