Sicko

I'm not a big Michael Moore fan, but I have to admit his latest film 'Sicko' made me sick to my stomach and outraged me!

Ever since Nixon and Kaiser dreamed up the concept of the private HMO company, the US healthcare system has been spiraling downward ever since, and Insurance company & HMO profits have been spiraling upward out of control. Whether you do or don't have health 'insurance' doesn't matter. HMO's have murdered countless people by denying payments to boost shareholder profits and CEO's golden parachutes. I highly recommend it.

As someone who works in the healthcare industry (Radiation Oncology), I can say that socialist healthcare is a good idea, but will never work. We can take a look at Canada. Sure, their healthcare is "free" (i.e. paid for by those who actually pay taxes), but it actually does nothing but lower the quality of care. I know for a fact that up there they have one Radiation Therapy center for patients who live within about a 500 mile radius. With privatized healthcare, people are allowed to be treated by who they choose and not who they are told to go to.

Did MM take that into account when he flew down to Cuba and took his crew to the hospital?

BTW, it is interesting that he violated major trade/travel laws to make this movie. I am waiting to see how his trail turns out.

These comments are coming from someone who thinks insurance (especially vehicle) is one of the biggest scams in our country today. These companies take money from their customers for years and then, when the person needs help, immediately denies the claim.

I am glad that my job provides me with non-HMO insurance coverage.

I don't think "free" health care would work well at all. First it is not free at all, have you seen the taxes paid by countries with "free" health care? Also, whenever I have visited countries like Canada or England, have you ever seen all the ads for private health coverage? If it is free, why would private insurers do so well? I don't know all there is to know about the issue, it is of minor importance in my life, but I think it (the health care system) needs to be fixed, but putting the govervment in charge of it does'nt sound too good to me. When was the last time the government actually did something efficiently?

Simply put, if it won't work then it is NOT a good idea.

We already have free emergency care in the United States and most Americans have world class health care. Something needs to be done to help the elderly and the poor but let's not throw the best healthcare in the world into the tank in the process.

Imagine paying over half your income in taxes to receive a lower standard of care. That is Canada, Germany, Sweden. We get better care and better technology because we offer the opportunity for more profit.

It is true that the care we have in the US requires a good deal more effort out of individuals. They have to make better choices about their health and their careers and their lifestyles. The bulk of the uninsured didn't take advantage of their free high school educations and are raising children in non-traditional families that only increases the economic burdens of providing health care.

Of course even blaming those individuals still leaves you with the innocent children and the increasing population of elderly to care for. My grandparents have found that making wise decisions with money and not living extravagently have made things tolerable in the last few years but in our family the children and grandchildren consider helping with those expenses part of our responsibility.

The chhildren are the trickiest part. How do you help them without enabling their parents to continue to make the choices that got their families into trouble in the first place. It's a tough call and as much as I favor tough love no child should suffer.

I actually stopped watching Moore's crap after I read about how he lied and manipulated people to make Roger and Me. As I've studied his using of similar tactics in Bowling for Columbine I didn't feel the need to waste more time. His illogical and idiotic, almost paranoid statements in Farenheit 9/11 forced me to watch it. I couldn't believe his critics were being honest! Turns out the whole film made me sick.

I'm tempted to watch Sicko though I don't want to get burned again. I don't trust Moore any farther than I can throw him (and there's no way I get him off the ground without needing some of my own insurance!). I'm only tempted because our health care system is something that needs some honest scrutiny. Of course honest rules out Moore.

And seriously, anyone who thinks that Moore's trip showed reality for the average Cuban is in need of some serious therapy.

One thing that I thought of today, regarding Cuba's system, is if their care is so great, why did Castro receive a botched surgery last year? I mean you would think the best doctor would be called in to perform the job right?

One thing that I thought of today, regarding Cuba's system, is if their care is so great, why did Castro receive a botched surgery last year? I mean you would think the best doctor would be called in to perform the job right?

Actually-- Castro flew in a Spanish doctor who brought specialized equipment that is not available in Cuba. You won't hear MM mention that...

 

 

Whatever the truth is about any issue, you won't find it in any Michael Moore film. All you'll get is just enough fabricated and/or contrived "evidence" to support his one-world, anti-American, socialist agenda. The guy's a hack. I actually think his films are pretty funny, in the amusing sense, because he actually expects people to believe what he is telling them. But in reality, he's only pandering to the audience of skulls-full-of-mush being created by our government-mismanaged schools and the universities full of post-Vietnam-era Baby-Boomer professors who fill the minds of young people with their insipid liberal, socialist, secular-progressive propaganda.

BTW -- I don't like Michael Moore -- has anyone got that idea?

The only way to improve our health care system is to keep the government the heck out of it!

NPR jumps into the Sicko debate:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=11285514

In australia we have had basically free healthcare since the 70s (known as 'medicare'). Medicare is paid by a 1.5% levy out of income tax, unless you are a low income worker. In australia, a single person (such as my good self) who earns over A$50,000 a year is slugged an extra 1% - unless they have private health cover. I have private health cover; I find it good. The public hospital system in NSW could be better but it has improved. I have glasses so the extras side of private health benefits me the most; basically I get a 'free' pair of glasses every year.

Due to government regulation I am happy to say that here we don't have problems with people being denied kidney transplants etc due to costs. Here if you need a new kidney one can be found for you (if available) and you get it done free of charge. Likewise with health cover; whilst it doesn't cover everything, the industry is regulated so that what is in the contract is what is delivered.

I admire michael moore; he is defenitely at my fantasy dinner party. American decisionmakers should, nay, must listen to what he has to say, and act on most of it. I have seen all his films and read most of the books. Just so sane, full of practical commonsense ideas and concepts to make a nation better. But... what would I know - I am an athiest, left leaning union member!

Joseph Goebbels would be proud of Michael Moore if he were alive today. Michael Moore is famous for not telling the "whole" truth. He has an agenda and shoots for it while ignoring anything that disputes his ideals.

Sicko is a sham of a movie like all of his others. He does not tell the other side of the story about Cuban health care. He ignores the problems that occur in Canada and Europe. The U.S. health care is ranked higher than Canada. Queuing is a big problem in Canada and their Medicare does not cover all medical services. I could go on about this movie but the reader should just do a little simple research on this.

There are some issues with the American health care system but socialization of it is not the answer. In fact it will make it worse for the average American where as people like Moore, politicians and the wealthy will go towards private medicine and continue to receiver good health coverage. The rest of America will suffer with all of the problems of socialized healthcare. Oh, one more thing. When does a government run anything correctly? They're incompetent when it comes to business like situations.