I stumbled upon a movie, SiCKO, a year back or so. Written, directed, and produced by the noted filmmaker, Michael Moore. Bookmarked it to watch it when free. I had time to view it this past weekend.
It moved me, hurt me a lot, and more than a couple of times filled my eyes. Hence I thought to urge you to watch this movie on the Internet or wherever.
SiCKO is not a movie about those Americans living without health insurance. It’s a movie about those US citizens who have health insurance but is just useless when in dire need. Michael Moore has captured those emotions raw, of helplessness arising out of insurance company mistreatments. He throws some light on the fatally flawed, corrupt US healthcare system.
Having health insurance doesn’t mean you’re protected. Maybe anyone who has spent some time dealing with those health insurance companies may be knowing what a mess it is. You pay your health insurance premiums pronto. However, when you actually need them at times of emergency, they go out of their way without helping you. The health insurance companies are in the business of finding reasons not to spend money, to fatten their profits and balance sheets. But do you know how far they’ll go?
SiCKO depicts the ugly face, the naked truth, to the core. On how people are left to die as insurance companies refuse treatment. About how people are dropped from policies for bogus reasons. On how hefty premiums are stamped upon you. Or else, you may have a health insurance policy but that might not be covering all the drugs or diseases. No one may be spared except if you’re a CEO of an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization).
Pray to god that while Barrack Obama strives to revolutionize and reform the whole healthcare process in the United States, addresses the issues raised in this documentary. That he finds an answer to those burning questions and prioritizes to resolve them. Either by socializing the healthcare (universal health plan) as mentioned in the documentary or by any appropriate means along with his current healthcare reforms. (The movie mentions Hillary Clinton and she too is back in power!)
To be frank, though the American healthcare system earns me the bread, I began to hate it after watching this documentary. In god’s name I swear, true to my heart, if I could be at the helm of the Indian Government one day, I would give my life and soul to reform the whole healthcare process here in India to be free of corruption, to be like the ones we see in this video in those developed countries. Man proposes. God disposes of. He never keeps anyone sincere in power. Else, he may run out of business!
Given the freedom and democratic rights that the Indian Republic has given me by birth, I just do not want to leave my country for any hefty pay that any job around the world would offer me. Though the government-run Indian public healthcare system is utterly corrupt, I could still find reasonable, affordable private healthcare here in India compared to those mentioned in the movie. However, after watching this film, it is tempting me to settle down somewhere in Canada, Britain, or France. Just for the sake of health care in my dusky years of life. We were under British rule for over two centuries; however, we didn’t catch up on those healthcare reforms after the Second World War mentioned in the video.
Here in India, every smart child at school, who later manages to get into the IIMs, IITs, and the best medical science colleges, has a dream to settle down in the US once they’re finished with their studies. The United States of America is a paradise on earth for them. Life in the US is a life in heaven for them. I hope they all learn a lesson after watching this movie. The full video goes for 2:03:12 hours. It is worth your time. I strongly urge you to not miss SiCKO. Bookmark it. Watch the full movie in your free time.
Watch SiCKO on YouTube.
I believe Michael Moore is just another appendage of the extreme Left, and frankly I don’t trust him for that reason. They seem to want us to become a socialized nation under tyranny. I could say MUCH more about it, but I urge you to look at the countries who either have or have had nationalized (socialized) healthcare. If they have needed treatment, they often wait for months! Also, it’s not ‘free’ as we are being led to believe. Our taxes will go out of this world soon, with the outrageous spending by the Obama administration. In every country where there is socialized medicine, it has led to health rationing. And ‘hey-what a great way to get rid of the ‘unwanted and useless’ people. (think euthanasia and perhaps even forced abortions in certain cases.) Anyone who is deemed ‘nonproductive’ in socialized nations can be given a pill to kill them instead of treatment! And if you have a lump on your breast, you might get in to get checked in 6 months, if you’re lucky.I’m sure you’re beginning to get the picture, and it’s very scary. The govt was not designed to be involved in decisions in our healthcare. (Please see the Constitution. It states that the sole purpose is protection from enemies.) And our current system may have flaws, but it still covers everyone, in one way or another.I know people with no health insurance, and there are always ‘safety nets’ in place to protect them. Please don’t be misled by Moore and company. Theirs is simply a political agenda intended to slyly take more of our money and get less. One source I would recommend is Relevant Radio, particularly the Drew Mariani show in the afternoon. (I can listen here in MN at 1330 AM. It’s online also). I also recommend The Jason Lewis Show on the radio. (100.3 KTLK here in MN. I believe his website is jasonlewis.com. There’s more to the story-don’t be misled!! Many here in the U.S. are extremely concerned about socialized healthcare.
I thought you might appreciate a few more websites with info:
1.) The One Minute Case Against Socialized Healthcare.
2.) Five Myths of Socialized Medicine
That’s a wealth of information that you have provided me. Ours, here in India, is semi-socialized healthcare. One has a choice to go either to a government hospital if he has no money or a private hospital if he can afford to pay from his wallet. Bilateral hip replacement surgery in India costs $20,000 compared to $120,000 in Florida and a heart valve replacement of around $10,000 whereas in the US it would be around $200,000. We have health insurance companies and health insurance policies too, and health insurance companies can’t just deny treatments as such. The approvals, denials, and management of the disbursements of health insurance companies are taken care of by third-party administrators (TPAs) which are in no way connected to the health insurance companies. TPAs are appointed by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) to look into these matters. Furthermore, IRDA acts according to the opinions of the Insurance Advisory Committee. Hence the chances of malpractices by health insurance companies are far low. Apart from these, there is the Employees State Insurance (ESI) and the hospitals run by ESI. But as these too are government-run, here too one can’t find the great efficacy of a private hospital. I could see the effects of nationalizing healthcare in government-run hospitals here. However, since we have a choice between private and public, and options to choose from free, paid and insurance, those having money can have the finest, world-class treatment in a private hospital. So I think ours is the best system then.
I think you should watch this video interview of Wendell Potter. Don’t miss it.
I couldn’t agree with you after watching that video especially after Wendell reveals what was done to neutralize the SiCKO effect.
Sicko is really a must see for anyone in the country. So many people are basing their opinions of other countries’ health systems from a friend of a friend of a friend rather than doing their own research. Sicko is a great step to doing some research on the subject.
Hi Raj,
Though I live in a different part of the world, after seeing the film, I am led to believe that some parts of the film may be true regarding the rising costs of American healthcare. I remember an instance of physician’s dictation where the doc said the patient preferred to get MRI in an outside facility because the same would cost him 3000 dollars in that hospital. Compare this with the fact that it costs around 65 to 100 dollars in India!!
Thanks, overall a nice article.
Regards.
A real eye-opener. I am so in awe, this happens in America. Whatever happened to the American Dream ! Anyways leaves me to ponder on the citizens of India, where family health insurance & a socialized medical care is just a pie in the sky for millions !! Now that’s really really S-A-D ! Corrupt governments run by super-corrupt politicians, all they are after is our hard-earned bottom penny! They won’t hesitate to drain our lifeblood some day if we don’t pay them what they think is their due ! Nobody cares about anybody anymore !! Last days for ya ! not one bit sweet ! Sorry !
I think the problem in India is ignorance due to illiteracy and its consequences.
Countrywide run free vaccinations are excellent; however, it is up to the people to actively take part and utilize the so provided care. You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Still, the government tries to, by making people aware; take the case of polio vaccination. The government wants to eradicate polio out of the country but still, people skip vaccinations due to ignorance!
One can approach the anti-corruption wing for getting the grievances addressed. The Right To Information Act 2005 enables a citizen to fetch information almost on any government document except defense secrets and almost no government personality is spared from the act. However, ignorance, lack of time, and interest on the part of people to use the appropriate tool make it easy for the tainted officials and politicians.
The government-run hospitals are doing their best though they are over-occupied almost always, that’s where corruption creeps in hospital-level socialized medical care. I think instead of blaming and cursing the system, people and voluntary organizations should think about making the currently available facilities work fine with all the available resources.