Michael Moore's Sicko
Moore's Latest Documentary Pushes For Health Care Reform
In Michael Moore's latest film, Sicko, Moore suggests that there may be something wrong with U.S. health care and health care insurance industry, and legislative policy.
The system of American health care, health care insurance, and legislation around them are plainly criticized and challenged, as well as compared and contrasted to other country's systems in Micheal Moore's new movie, "Sicko," that came to theaters June 30.
Moore Visits Guantanamo Bay
The film documents the the trials of those who suffered due to policies in health care insurance, and hospitals' treatment of people uninsured. One woman in the film blamed a hospital - a hospital that she had worked for - for not taking care of her husband and proceeding with a surgery that would have saved his life. The woman's husband died after a time. The woman pleaded with the board of directors of the hospital, who didn't sympathize and weren't willing to provide care to someone with insufficient health insurance. Another man, who lost two fingers in a power-saw accident, could only get coverage to put one of them back on. "Sicko" also chronicles the horrible experiences of 9/11 volunteers and the insurance companies' treatment of them. At one point Moore takes those people on a trip across open water to Guantanamo Bay, where terrorists are being held - and who are being provided with free health care.
Moore makes an attempt to expose an industry that is more driven by profits than by caring for its customers and patients. In Moore's assessment of insurance companies and hospitals, he reasons that America's medical giants prevent truly sick people from getting the care that is necessary. The film paints a horrifying picture of a cruel and superficial power in this country, that disregards humanity for the sake of financial gain.
Universal Health Care a Top Priority
Moore uses statistics and examples of other health care systems around the world to make his claims. He travels to France, England, and even sneaks people from the Guantanamo Bay trip into Cuba to get medicine and examinations from concerned physicians. England and France and other countries like Canada provide universal health care for their citizens and consider it a top priority. He exemplifies the humanity of their systems. Moore also exposes the corruption in legislation of health care, and tells of how one sassy Senator Hillary Clinton pushed for universal health care, but was bought out with campaign contributions from medical tycoons and lobbyists. Nixon also plays a role in the roadblock in the path for universal health care.
Moore certainly stirred up controversy with the film, and has appeared on CNN in a debate about inaccurate statistics, but Moore has defended the numbers and backed them up further on his website with the resources he used.
