Michael Moore is back with another documentary that is sure to get the country involved in another debate, which, even if you vehemently disagree with his point of view, is much better than the usual passive experience of movies. Sicko will make you think, make you learn, and hopefully make you act.
Rather than focusing on Americans without health insurance that politicians usually talk about, Moore examines those who have it. He starts with a series of sad stories about the hardships people have had with insurance companies and then interviews those who have worked on the inside, allowing them to explain the tricks of the trade of denying coverage and saving the company money. Insurance companies are business so obviously profits are their motive, but how much is a human life worth? Would you understand if a company saved $500 as opposed to performing a test that could save your life? Your spouse’s? Your child’s?
The film looks at the U.S. government’s involvement in health care from Nixon's interest in Kaiser Permanente’s HMOs once he found out they were private enterprise to Hillary Clinton’s work as the chairwoman of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform and President Bush’s Medicare prescription-drug plan, whose main supporter, Congressman Billy Tauzin, went to work for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America the same day he left Congress.
Moore compares and contrasts the U.S. health care system with those of Canada, England, and France, all of whom come out better, but who is to say how accurate it is? Just because we don’t hear any complaints doesn’t mean there aren’t any, and I know from family experience that Canada has its flaws. However, it’s hard to argue, although surely some will, with the World Health Organization ranking the United States 37th in part due to our infant morality rate and life expectancy, placing us between Costa Rica and Slovenia. If our national basketball team were that bad, sports radio would be on fire with outrage.
Moore meets with people who have gotten sick from their volunteer work at Ground Zero, cleaning up Twin Towers debris and looking for survivors. These people are patriots who have severely damaged their health in the service of their country and only received lip service in exchange from the state and federal government. With many politicians boasting about the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Moore takes these American heroes down to the detention center, reasoning it only fair that they receive health care as good as Al Qaeda gets.
Article comments
1 - alessandro Nicolo
I don't get this "it's one-sided but makes you think" logic we've been hearing about this film. If people need film makers to make them think then help us all indeed.
2 - El Bicho
What don't you get, AN?
In regards to this film, I am sure many people, like myself, live with a false sense of security about what our insurance will do for us, but won't really know until the time comes.
Doing a little research and being proactive can't be a bad thing, and if Moore pushes people and gets them to think while presenting his version of the story, I don't see that as all bad.
The media gets many people think about many issues that aren't at the forefront of their lives all the time. Books, TV, newspapers, radio. Film is no different.
3 - alessandro nicolo
If it's one-sided it paints a false impression.
Bingo on the proactive. But it should be self-initiated.
I can't speak for the American system, but I imagine it's like anything else in life: read the damn print. We are all responsible for ourselves.
He also paints too much of a nice picture of Canada. I once had to stand around in pain for two hours with my shoulder dislocated because of disorganization so prevalent in the Canadian system. And trust, doctors walked by me and there wasn't too much compassion in their eyes. The X-ray lady was even impatient. I COULDN'T MOVE it was sooo painful.
And I got a boatload of far more serious offenses. Incidentally, it's what led me and three other guys into the business we're in now because we have grown concerned with the public health system.
I may be universal but it doesn't mean it's better and it certainly isn't free. Come see my pay cheque.
There are no easy solutions but I don't think Moore is being forthcoming. He's part of the problem as far as I am concerned.
4 - joe
Does anyone know the music playing in the video footage where the old lady gets dumped in the steets by a cab?