Americans: Does the Movie Sicko reflect the truth about Medical insurance companies in the US?

Question

I find it astonishing that that is really happening in a 1st world country?

Answer 1

yes its true and we have people here that are dieing every day because they cant afford to have surgery and don't have insurance

Answer 2

it absolutely does!!!

I've heard some people say on here " hospitals cannot turn you away" - that's true for most of them, but the bill you get is so high you can't pay it. You have to go to the emergency room and the fee for the visit alone is anywhere from
$400-$500. Then if you have bloodwork, lab tests, x-ray, etc. it costs you about $1000 for ONE visit.

**btw - the reason most people don't like michael moore is because he did a movie blasting george bush and how dubya has lied to America. I think you will find that the Michael Moore haters are the George Bush lovers

It's ridiculous. Then if you don't pay them right away, they will file it on your credit report & ruin your credit.

the healthcare system here in the US is crazy. it's an embarassment to our country

edit - spellcheck - you are sooooo wrong!! YOU might be one of the luck ones that have good insurance for a decent price. Most companies offer insurance, but it's at rates that the average person cannot afford! You can tell by his answer that he has not seen the movie!! spellcheck, you will probably be one of the very people featured in the movie sicko one day

Answer 3

Unfortunately, a lot of it's true. Many Americans would prefer to stick their heads in the sand, so to speak, and pretend that there aren't millions of people without any health insurance at all. We do have the best system in the world but only if you can afford it.

Answer 4

No. It doesn't. Micheal Moore isn't a source of facts or truth. But if you really would prefer the Cuban system, then move there by all means.

I guess that's why so many in Miami are risking their lives to reach Cuba.

Answer 5

Anything done by Michael Moore is fiction pretending to be a documentary. The best way to look at any of his work is to assume that the truth is the exact opposite of anything Michael Moore says. Only the completely uninformed believe anything he says. Which is probably why he's so popular in Hollywood.
That said, there is a huge problem with health-care in this country. The problem isn't with the caregivers or the insurance companies however.
We have a system where more of our health-care dollars go into the pockets of lawyers who sue doctors, nurses and hospitals, than go to those providing health care.
Those are just the direct costs of the complete lack of limitations on frivolous and even phony lawsuits. The fear of having to justify every treatment decision in court tends to produce huge numbers of unnecessary tests and procedures.
As an example, I have a recurring problem with a throat infection, that while not common is not rare. It only affects adults who never had their tonsils removed, which is a small proportion of the population. Every so often it flares up and I have to get treatment. It's well documented in my medical records, I usually get looked at by several doctors all of whom agree as to what it is. At this point logic says that they prescribe a simple antibiotic and I go home. However they work in the US were they have to constantly look over their shoulders at the horde of ambulance chasing dirtbags waiting to drag them into court in an effort to get rich quick. So they order several dozen tests to rule out absolutely every possoible condition that has similar symptoms, just in case they need to legally justify their unanamous medical decission.
These are the sort of backward priorities that produce outragous health care costs. Not greedy corporations as Mr. Moore tries to claim.
But the Trial Lawyers Association is the largest single campaign contributor in the country, and any polititian who tries tort reform feels their wrath. Besides, they contribute to all the politicians whose ideology matchs Mr. Moore's.
So, any effort to deal with the real problem gets blasted in propaganda pieces by Mr. Moore and his compatriots in politics and the media. For reasons of ideology they are compelled to conduct a coverup of the real problems. Instead, they write fictional documentaries to mislead the public and serve their own goals of persuing false solutions to a problems that they have played a major role in creating.
The next time a politician proposes any solution to the "health care crisis", stop and look at their record on tort reform. If they opposed that reform then they have no interest in better health care. They are just lying to the gullible in persuit of an angenda that has nothing to do with helping the people.

Answer 6

Truth and Michael Moore are mutually exclusive.

Answer 7

I haven't seen it yet, but it's probably true for the most part.

Answer 8

absolutely believe it! the govt imposed a cap on how much you can sue a doctor that butchered you but the govt placed no cap on how much that doctor can charge you for butchering you up.

Answer 9

I have great health insurance from where I work. I don't know what all the fuss is about. We have good health insurance for people who want to work for it. I don't get my insurance for free I pay for it. The only people who have a problem with health insurance are the ones who want it for free.

Answer 10

Of course not. It is just a silly propaganda movie. We have the best medical care in the world. Including free care for our lazy breeding class.