Sicko!

[Adam]

So last night, I watch the Michael Moore documentary, Sicko. After watching this, I have to say I was shocked, which I think was the idea of the documentary, but I had no idea (if true to life) just how bad the health care service in America is. For those who've not seen it, this is from IMDB: Writer/producer Michael Moore interviews Americans who have been denied treatment by our health care insurance companies -- companies who sacrifice essential health services in order to maximize profits. The consequences for the individual subscribers range from bankruptcy to the unnecessary deaths of loved ones. Moore then looks at universal free health care systems in Canada, France, Britain, and Cuba, debunking all the fears (lower quality of care, poorer compensation for doctors, big-government bureaucracy) that have been used to dissuade Americans from establishing such a system here. The roots of those health care systems are explored, and our failure to establish free health here care is traced to a) President Richard Nixon's deceptive support of the then-emerging HMOs pursuing huge profits and b) subsequent pressures for Congress to sacrifice sound health care in favor of corporate profit. A group of Americans who became ill from volunteering at 911 Ground Zero, but were refused health coverage for their illnesses, are ferried by Moore to Cuba, where they receive the top-rate, free care one would hope they'd get here at home. In his interviews, historical reportage, and typical sarcastic wit, Moore soundly condemns American health insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, as well as the politicians who have been paid millions to do their bidding. He makes the case that there is something wrong with Americans that we cannot learn from the successes of other countries in providing better quality-of-health than we enjoy in the USA. What I wanted to know was, for those of you in America, just how true to life is this documentary? I mean he sent out an ad for people to reply with stories of how they'd been treated by insurance companies when they needed care, and he received 25,000 emails in the first week - so of course this was all from people who'd had trouble, not from those who have received good care. I couldn't understand how these HMO's we're declining to care for people, who were dying, and they didn't care - they waved them by to save a few bucks. Is it really as bad as this documentary makes out, or did they do a good job portraying a bad service? What made it all just horrific to watch, were the 911 Ground Zero volunteers, who are suffering now with breathing problems etc all being declined help, so they're suffering all day, yet you move the terrorists to Guantanamo bay, who all receive what looks like the same decent medical care you'd receive with insurance, but they get it for free - and the hospitals putting elderly people into cabs, and sending them off to shelters with what ever problems they've got without a moments thought for their well-being.. As the title of the documentary says, it's just sick how it could work out like this? Is this really how it works? Thoughts?

[Jeff777]

While the point of the documentary was to accentuate the shady part of our countries health-care system, I think it's important to note that this IS Michael Moore . Regardless though, Americas health-care system sucks balls and needs major reform. That, I can stand on. Aside from that, the documentary should just serve as a wake up call to Americans to remind them that half of Americans don't have health-care and this is a problem that won't go away by simply ignoring it.

[Adam]

Sure, I appreciate it's Michael Moore LOL. One thing which was quite interesting at the end of it was, a guy who's one of the biggest haters of Michael Moore, always slagging him off and even has his own hate website against Moore, then posted a begging message on his site to say he's going to have to close down the site because his wife is really sick and cannot afford the care, and begging for money basically. Michael Moore anonymously donated the $12,000 they needed to help her get better, and the site continues today LOL. I think the documentary was more aimed at the people who DO have health-care, not those that don't. It was aimed at the people who had the insurance but were still declined the treatment they needed because the HBO's used anything they could to get out of paying claims. People who worked for the HBO's were coming forward saying they were on bonuses depending on the number of claims declined and things like this..

[ninja9578]

Be very glad you live in England. I just had routine dental work done, it cost me $600. If I'm really in need to health care, I make the drive to Canada, the gas and a night in a hotel room and a hooker is still far cheaper than going to a hospital here. Obama is trying to push Universal Health care, it's not socialized medicine, but it's a step in the right direction. We do have socialized medicine in this country, but you have to be 65+ to get it. It's also poorly managed. The Liberals need to take a page out of the conservative agenda and tell the public that if they don't support socialized medicine then they're unpatriotic and the terrorists win. HBO is a tv network, you meant HMOs. HMOs were never meant to help people, they were meant to make money off of sick people. Nixon was flat out told this, he liked the idea and had his spin-doctor figure out a way to brainwash the right wing into thinking it was a good thing. I've never understood how the Republican Party can make its followers vote against their own interest, but time after time they do.

[Adam]

Ouch! $600 for routine work? WOW! Sorry I know HMO's - must have been typing without thinking. Anyhoo - was an interesting insight into how things are, I had no idea. I'm sure it's exaggerated, but still - makes me realize how lucky we are here. For example my mother is a single parent family since my parents split - she doesn't work as she looks after the kids, so couldn't afford insurance (if needed). My little brother (5) had a Asthma attack, ended up in intensive care, and is still in hospital, has been for 4 days now - he has his own room with bathroom attached, a separate bed for mum to sleep in and stay with him. Around the clock service and care, and it's all free with no financial burden on my mother. This is the third time he has been rushed in and put on meds to control the oxygen levels in his blood and control his breathing. Without the NHS he woudn't have made it... What made me laugh were the comments by Investors Business Daily: "The controlling of medical costs in countries such as Britain through rationing, and the health consequences thereof, are legendary. The stories of people dying on a waiting list or being denied altogether read like a horror script... People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the UK, where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless." They must have through Hawking was American or something.... Anyway, he came back with an answer about our national health service - "I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived." It's the poor and then elderly I feel sorry for

[ninja9578]

Uhm... Stephen Hawking teaches at Cambridge and is of British nationality. Republicans will lie about anything to keep their financial investments secure.

[Universal Mind]

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...es+health+care

[Lëzen]

Wanna know how bogus healthcare is in the U.S.? My family can't even get Medi-Cal, the most rudimentary, stock, standard, basic health insurance organization in California. To put it this way...barely-legal immigrants are having an easier time getting on Medi-Cal than my family. So yeah. Health care is ze ballz.

[Odd_Nonposter]

I've got a friend that had to have a pacemaker and defibrillator put it. the insurance company decided that they wouldn't pay for one side of his heart to be hooked up because one of his numbers was just under the threshold for them to pay. He would need that side hooked up in a few years anyway. The surgeon is going to be in there already and it wouldn't take him much more time. He asked what it would cost if he paid for the procedure: $10,000. All because one of his test results was barely below the threshold. Obama is not doing single payer health care. It's just a government-sponsored option so that private insurance companies have to compete, because they basically decide what they're going to make in a year anymore.

[ninja9578]

It's unveiled! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090916/..._care_overhaul It took them so long to try and get a republican on board, but they couldn't. Who gives a shit? The dems were voted in to fix the problems the republicans made in the last couple of years, why do they care so much what the republicans think? Here's just hoping that the republicans don't tack on amendments that will cause it to be poorly managed. It's not socialized medicine... not even close But a government run insurance program to make the private ones lower their prices in order to keep their customers. We'll get to socialized medicine someday, hopefully less than 100 years after the rest of the civilized world

[tkdyo]

It's unveiled! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090916/..._care_overhaul It's not socialized medicine... not even close But a government run insurance program to make the private ones lower their prices in order to keep their customers. We'll get to socialized medicine someday, hopefully less than 100 years after the rest of the civilized world You know....I think socialized medicine could work...if we didnt already have so much crap to pay for. If we are going to have fully socialized health care, the gov needs to shrink in other places.

[ninja9578]

Of course they do, but they need to do it in the military. The USA could run 10 years of socialized medicine with the amount of money spent on 1 month in Iraq.

[grasshoppa]

Of course they do, but they need to do it in the military. The USA could run 10 years of socialized medicine with the amount of money spent on 1 month in Iraq. Holy shit, that is insane. WAR MACHINE

[Black_Eagle]

Of course they do, but they need to do it in the military. The USA could run 10 years of socialized medicine with the amount of money spent on 1 month in Iraq. A little exaggerated >.>

[BossBadger]

Yep, it does suck that much here. I had brain surgery last year. I had insurance then, and I still owe about $10,000. I'm up to my ears in debt and I have people calling my house every day. Now I lost my job and I have no insurance at all. I can't afford to get any follow-up CT scans, so I just have to keep my fingers crossed that everything's okay. I have bursitis and tendonitis in my shoulder from my last job and I can't afford to get any more physical therapy. I'm rationing medicine. One of my mother's friends didn't go to the doctor for a breast lump because she couldn't afford it (no insurance). Now she's dying. When I see these idiots on TV protesting against healthcare reform it makes me so angry that eventually I just can't watch it anymore. I can't talk to people who disagree because I'm afraid I'm just going to lose it. I could go on and on. I could write a freakin' book. But suffice it to say, yes, it does suck that much.