| Let me start by saying I've never been a | | | | the 9/11 WTC site. |
| Michael Moore fan. Being a libertarian | | | | |
| Conservative all my voting life, I've always | | | | While one knows that "Sicko" was made with a |
| been opposed to "Socialized" medicine. | | | | bias in favor of a universal health care |
| However, firsthand experience in the | | | | system, Moore makes the valid impression that |
| healthcare business for the last 17 years has | | | | the system is broken and, like Humpty Dumpty, |
| shown me that our system of health care (much | | | | can't be put back together again. As a |
| like our tax system and education system) is | | | | healthcare provider, I've dealt firsthand |
| broken beyond repair. | | | | with the Managed Care nonsense. The movie is |
| | | | not far off, at all. |
| Michael Moore's latest movie "Sicko" should | | | | |
| be a wake-up call for insurance companies, | | | | As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a fan of big |
| the pharmaceutical industry and the AMA. The | | | | government solutions to market problems. |
| movie starts out showing what can happen to | | | | However, the free market does NOT govern the |
| working class Americans without health | | | | American health care system. Between the |
| insurance, citing the story of a man who cut | | | | AMA, the pharmaceutical cartel and the |
| off the tip of two fingers in a work | | | | insurance industry, access to health care is |
| accident. Because he had no insurance and | | | | limited. Not only does that put upward |
| would be paying cash, he was given the choice | | | | pressure on prices, but lends itself to |
| of having one fingertip replaced for $12,000 | | | | market manipulation. The higher prices go |
| or the other for $60,000. What kind of | | | | the more consumers are forced to buy health |
| choice could that possibly be? Of course, he | | | | insurance EVEN with ever-increasing premiums |
| chose to save the less expensive of the two. | | | | and routine reductions in coverage. It's a |
| The movie went on to show the fate of a | | | | spiral that feeds on itself and will |
| couple who had worked all their life, bought | | | | eventually lead to collapse. |
| insurance through their employers. Three | | | | |
| heart attacks and a bout of cancer left the | | | | For those who would say, "We can't afford |
| couple bankrupt and virtually homeless | | | | universal health care", it should be noted |
| despite their insurance coverage. | | | | that between Medicare and Medicaid we ALREADY |
| | | | have (almost) universal health care. The |
| The movie goes on to compare American health | | | | only group left out of America's government |
| care systems and those in Canada, England and | | | | funded health care is a large percentage of |
| France. And while I was somewhat put off by | | | | the working class and the self-employed. |
| Moore's veiled support of socialism, the | | | | Conservatives should take another look at a |
| viewer can only come to the conclusion that | | | | single-payer health care system for a variety |
| our and their health care systems don't | | | | of reasons. Rising health care costs is a |
| compare very well. Almost any American | | | | major reason American business is less |
| health care consumer will relate to the | | | | competitive in the global marketplace. |
| hassles of dealing with insurance companies, | | | | Further, the aging baby boomer generation |
| exclusions and long waits in the Emergency | | | | will soon be eligible for Medicare. When |
| Room and wonder if there isn't a better way. | | | | that happens, subsequent generations of |
| Even respected medical journals report that | | | | Americans will demand either relief from the |
| Americans' have shorter lifespan, higher | | | | burden of paying for that extra care OR be |
| infant mortality rates and more cancer, heart | | | | included in the system themselves. My guess |
| disease and diabetes than the rest of the | | | | is that it will be both. The party that |
| industrialized world. The final comparison | | | | resolves THAT problem will probably rule the |
| of the care rendered to Guantanamo detainees | | | | political roost for decades to come. |
| and that give to three American volunteers at | | | | |