Michael Moore's "Sicko"

[Jughead P. Jones]

To tell you the truth, I have to agree with all of you who criticize our Canadian health care system due to the insanely long waiting times. Sure, in Canada, our health coverage is quite good, and we don't have to pay for operations and other medical procedures and hospital stays. (In the province of Ontario, those procedures are covered by a program called OHIP, and I'm sure that each province has its own version of it) But, the trade-off is that when you go into an emergency room, be prepared to wait at least 4 or more hours before you get in there to see a doctor. Because in Canada, we are experiencing one of the largest shortages of doctors in years. I'm not sure what the situation is like in the U.S.A. as far as the numbers go for doctors and nurses, but I assume that it is comparable between the two nations. There has been talk about the privatization of hospitals here in Canada for the last few years now, and personally, I hope it doesn't come down to that, because a poor family like mine would be driven into near-bankruptcy due to the hospital bills that we would have to pay. But, unless we get more people to train to become doctors and nurses in this country (and possibly North America), then our health care systems will continue to be in crisis.

[wendybeth]

Uhm , Jughead- the average wait in pretty much any urban ER is at least as long as you described. Then, even if you have insurance, you usually wind up with a fairly substantial bill. (Insurance ER co-pays tend to be high).

[Mrs. Nesbitt]

In most of the countries that offer socialized medicine many citizens have now gone to private insurance to supplement the coverage the government offers so they can get those needed procedures quicker and in some cases in other countries.

If we are to go to socialized health care are you prepared to pay the costs?
Your income tax rate would be about 50% even at the lower tax brackets, your property tax would double, you would pay 18% for every good or service you purchase and how about $5.00, $6.00 or $7.00 per gallon for gasoline with 70% of that being tax? Are you willing to pay these costs and let a government run another program? We have seen how they have done during natural disasters, with our road system, avaition system and many other functions.

And what part do we ourselves play in the cost of healthcare? Americans are fatter now than ever before, we put in more hours at work than any other industrialized nation, we stress about our employment, family life, government issues, etc. Look at the proliferation of quick serve meals and fast food restuarants.

We will wash our car weekly, change the oil regularly and perform maintenance on it as it is our very means (especially in SoCal) of going about our daily routine. Yet when it comes to our health, we wait until something dramatic happens, before we seek help. When was the last time you had a regular check up?

[Alex]

I didn't even go to a doctor when I literally cooked my eyeballs and the last time I did go to a doctor (2003) it was because I was in so much pain I literally couldn't walk upright (kidney stone).

If all goes well the next time I see a doctor it will be so he can tell me I have only a few seconds to live so he has to talk fast.

[Alex]

Just got this press release which I thought some here might find of interest.



NEW YORK, NEW YORK (June 24, 2007) - The trailer for “SiCKO,” Michael Moore’s expose of the American health care system, will be projected with full sound and subtitles on the outside of buildings near the headquarters of leading HMOs, insurance companies and hospitals in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Oakland on Monday, June 25th beginning at sundown through 1:00am.

This innovative campaign will enable millions of Americans including employees at leading HMOs, insurance companies and hospitals to see a sneak peak of Michael Moore’s acclaimed documentary that explores and examines their industry’s role in our nation’s troubled health care system.

SiCKO is written, directed and produced by Michael Moore. The film is produced by Meghan O'Hara and co-produced by Anne Moore. Kathleen Glynn, Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein serve as executive producers.

SiCKO opened exclusively at the AMC- Loews Lincoln Square Theater, Friday, June 22nd and is opening nationwide on Friday, June 29th.

The trailer will be simultaneously projected at the following locations from sundown to 1am.

Bay Area Locations:

SAN FRANCISCO
Projection Site: Intersection of Broadway & Montgomery St.
Locations of interest nearby:
E-surance
Kaiser Permanente
Sutter Health
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
Chinese Hospital
Ocadian Hospitals & Care Centers

OAKLAND
Projection Site: 1950 Franklin St.
Locations of interest nearby:
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Center
Kaiser Foundation Hospital

Additional Locations:

LOS ANGELES
Projection Site: 4343 W. Sunset Blvd.
Locations of interest nearby:
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
Hollywood Community Hospital
Health Net
Guardian Rehabilitation Hospital
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center

NEW YORK
Projection Site: Times Square, 625 8th Ave. & 40th St.
Locations of interest nearby:
Benefits Quest, Inc.
Empire BlueCross BlueShield
Group Health Inc.
The Guardian
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York St. Clare’s Family Health Center St. Vincent’s Midtown Roosevelt Hospital Beth Israel Hospital NYU Medical Center NY Presbyterian Hospital National Jewish

CHICAGO
Projection Site: 525 N. Michigan Ave.
Locations of interest nearby:
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Wells Fargo
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

[cirquelover]

Originally Posted by Alex

I didn't even go to a doctor when I literally cooked my eyeballs and the last time I did go to a doctor (2003) it was because I was in so much pain I literally couldn't walk upright (kidney stone).

If all goes well the next time I see a doctor it will be so he can tell me I have only a few seconds to live so he has to talk fast.

OT- Alex this post is a perfect example of how first you make me shake my head, then you make me laugh out loud! Visible mojo for you my friend.

Anyway, my aunt was/is Canadian and I know she had to wait many months for surgery to remove cancer and the chemo that followed. It was also more than once. They finally moved to the US for better health care and schools.

If you ask me Australia's health care system seemed just as bad. They appeared to be 20 years behind in medical technology. My mom had some horror stories from the 12 years she lived there.

I don't know what the answer is but we need to figure something out. Between the cost of drugs, Dr bills, let alone hospital costs it is outrageous and can sink a family very quickly.

[Ponine]

I went through my deleted email.. it appears the information about the sneaks came from Michael Moore's blog. Not that its important now, but I wanted to throw it out there.

From: maillist@michaelmoore.com [mailto:maillist@michaelmoore.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 02:07 PM Pacific Standard Time
To: ******
Subject: 'SiCKO' Sneaks Across America This Saturday!

Friends,

Would you like to go to a sneak preview of my new film, "Sicko," before
it opens on June 29th? Well, if you live anywhere near the 32 cities
listed below, this Saturday night, June 23rd, our movie studio is going
to hold sneak screenings of "Sicko" in 43 theaters across the country.

<snip>

Last night we screened "Sicko" for the members of Congress and the
Senate in Washington, D.C. Earlier in the day we testified during a
briefing in Congress called by the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
Rep. John Conyers, Jr. I brought with me some of the people who appear
in the film to tell their stories -- and it was a powerful moment.

None the less, still offended the union felt the need to send it to me

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Nesbitt

If we are to go to socialized health care are you prepared to pay the costs?

The opinions provided are interesting. However, they are mostly worthless (beyond basic opinion) without some facts/links/etc. to back it up.

Don't get me wrong - I would love to see something that corroborates this info. Do you have anything? I agree with the basic premise but find much of this hard to swallow.

[Alex]

Thank you Ponine. At the time I posted I was unaware of the screenings (should have looked first, though) and thought the only way to see the movie was by downloading it from any of the many online sources (it was at YouTube in 10 minute chunks and Google Video for a while even).

So my apologies to mousepod for making that assumption.

[Ponine]

Originally Posted by Alex

Thank you Ponine. At the time I posted I was unaware of the screenings (should have looked first, though) and thought the only way to see the movie was by downloading it from any of the many online sources (it was at YouTube in 10 minute chunks and Google Video for a while even).

So my apologies to mousepod for making that assumption.

Well, to be truthfull Alex, the only reason I myself knew?
My union sent out an email to everyone stating there were sneak previews and how to get tickets.
Seems the union feels he is in the right.

(I personally hate the in your face attitude of my union, and was totally offended that they sent me an email after I asked to be removed from all union emails)

Though I didnt think you were being a prick about it, I just assumed you didnt know. Had they not told me, I'd ahve had no idea when the sneaks were.
I had read on CNN or in EW that they were going to happen, but I dont think I knew more than that.