"Sicko" opinions?

Question

I just watched it. I tried to keep an open mind. Question, are his "facts" true? Did he lie? Can you prove that the film was false? I don't want to split hairs on details, Looking for the big picture on this. I know he probably took statistical license, but doesn't everybody when they present a case?

If most of what he says is real, then we have a probelm. Is most of what he says real?

I have group insurance with my employer. It's $2500/yr deductible, my employer kicks in $1100/yr into a medical HSA for me. The total cost is about $400/month and I pay $50/month as a single...those families pay about $250/month extra. My point is that I pay a tax by being in this. The money my employer pays is part of the wage I earn. The total cost of my insurance is about $3,600/yr. If I were to be sick and not able to work, I would eventually lose my job and this insurance and any insurance would be too expensive since I would have a pre-existing condition. So, this $3,600 that is paid as part of my wages to an isurance company. I would rather this money go into a medicare type institution than the pockets of a middle man insurance company even if the medical system isn't perfect...the medical system we have now isn't perfect.

I'm sure no system is perfect and the Canadian system isn't perfect...but like Moore said, "everyone has a story of someone they know who had to go bankrupt to get medical care" pour system is definitely not perfect either

It's weird that people want to say Moore should be tried for treason. Attacking Moore doesn't make the argument go away. It doesn't matter that he's a fat, ugly, mouthy guy...Is the argument valid? Attacking him personally invalidates an opposing position and does not address the facts.

Answer 1

Now wait a minute. Wasn't there an item in the news just a few days ago about a girl who died waiting for a liver transplant because her insurance company stalled too long? Here's the Fox News article. I just wanted to congratulate you for your reasonable medical insurance premiums. We are paying more than $2500 a month for 3 of us (1 is on Medicare). Maybe by the time I reach 65, we will have affordable universal medical care available.
I saw Sicko too and the Cuban part of it was probably just theater, but I don't understand why people are bad-mouthing Canada like this. I'm going to star this question and hopefully one of my Canadian Contacts will reply.

Answer 2

You always make arguments against a movie and people will.
Just keep this in mind the U.S.A is ranked 35th in the world for health care, so that should tell you something.
I don't see the problem with Government funded health care, people say its paying extra tax, but I pay a healthcare premium out of every paycheck and I pay deductables and have a maximum allowable expense. So, how is that different than paying that in tax? I'm already paying that and my medicare deduction.
I like the point he made in the film about people calling it socialism, Police, Fire Department's are all paid by taxes, but people don't complain about paying for the firemen to put out their neigbors house or investgate a break in at their neignbors house.
Edit: In this country, the wealthiest coutnry in the world, should the first question we ask when looking at a sick child is "Can I make a profit from this child illness"
That is the question being asked now, I saw a story about a sick three year old boy, and they wouldn't fund the research or treat him becasue only a few hundred get sick with that disease every year so their wasn't enough money in it for them, so the Chidlren just die..that is immoral and inexcusable in this country or any other,and we should be ashamed for allowing it to happen.
and for all of those saying "Sicko is all lies" that's exactly what the healthcare and pharmaceutical companies want you to believe.

Answer 3

The film expressed the experiences of many and left the impression that we'd all better hit the lottery.

Answer 4

I personally think think that he should be tried for treason traveling to Cuba. If the movie wasn't made to dis America, I don't think the Cubans would've been that nice. If health care is so great in Europe, why do all of the European movie stars come to the US if they are ill or need a dentist check up

Answer 5

To answer your question;

There is always this opinion of the Cuban health care system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD7mLp9j-3k&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8N5HFzd1zk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_RgM1jHeo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Ve9wA1cpc&feature=related

I think Sicko is a biased movie made to make Moore money by bashing America. We can only hope that Michael Moore gets his care from the very system he applauds. That is my opinion.

Answer 6

No.
It has been proven ALL LIES.

Liar Moore has millions and millions of dollars. He can go anywhere in the world for health care.

But he gets it here in the US, because it's the Best.

Answer 7

I did not see one lie in the movie.

I think he was joking about getting the government to do his laundry though...

Answer 8

Michael Moore is just another Goebbels style propagandist.

If you think Goebbels is great Micheal Moore is awesome.

Answer 9

Mostly lies. The U.S. has better cancer treatments says Canadian news reports. And many Canadians receive government-funded U.S. medical treatments in the U.S.. Canada's medical systems pays for sending many Canadian patients to the U.S. to receive cancer treaments, advanced body scans, etc..

Canadian cancer survivor: "There’s no question that going to the United States saved my life"
Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada - CCAC
http://www.ccac-accc.ca/news.php?id=53
"In Canada the average wait for procedures such as neurosurgery is more than four months; for cancer radiation treatment, over two months. The average wait for treatment after consulting a specialist for coronary bypass clocks in at up to 52 weeks, with four to 12 weeks for angioplasty. That’s the reality in our backlogged public health system, according to a recent survey by The Fraser Institute, a think tank based in Vancouver. In the United States, you can often be on an operating table within a week or two of referral to a surgeon."

"Canadian patients who go [ to the U.S. ] report speedier, better service....anybody can find the specialist he or she needs, or gain access to the most advanced technology available."

Canadian government:
"Four years ago when Suzanne Aucoin was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, she had to travel every week to the United States to buy life-saving cancer drugs " Medical Tourism Boosted by Long Wait Times - Embassy - Newspaper
http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2007/march/28/tourism/