Sicko
Don't know if there is another thread for this documentary.
The movie is all over the internet, it was "leaked" out. It's on youtube,
bittorrent, what-have-you.
[minor spoilers, if you consider spoiling a documentary]
The movie is very eye-opening. Even with family living in the USA,
I didn't realize how screwed up things are. Even when they have
insurance, they seemed to be screwed. He makes it very clear,
right at the beginning, he is not talking about the 50 million people
who do not have insurance, this movie is about those who do.
He opens by showing the difference between the systems in Canada
and the USA. One Canadian loses two fingers in a sawing accident.
He goes into the hospital and has his fingers put back on, etc. Total
cost is zero.
An American does something similar. He has health insurance. He
goes in, and then given a choice. He still has to pay, $12,000 for the
pointing finger or $60,000 for the middle finger. He actually has to
choose $12,000 to spend and lose the other finger!
How bizzare is that?
He shows how insurance companies always try to get out of paying
for healthcare. He shows how a yeast infection denies insurance
payments to people.
The movie continues to show the British and French systems as well.
There are a couple of things from those systems that I think would be
very good here. For example, in the UK, if a doctor helps someone to
quit smoking, lose weight (ie. live healthier), he gets bonus pay. Wow,
there's preventative medicine right there, would be good to see in
Canada.
The French go way overboard, IMO. To have someone come to
your house for six months after you have a baby, to do laundry,
cooking, cleaning, that's just way over the top. However, their
24x7 emergency doctors (similar to an ambulance, but a doctor
that makes house calls) are an intriguing idea.
The last portion of the movie deals with Cuba and the 9-11 emergency
personnel. This is the portion that's got him in trouble in the USA.
It's obvious why the government doesn't want this movie to be seen,
and why they would go to such lengths to try to censor it, once you
watch it. It does not in any way make the US system of healthcare
seem good, nor does it potray any part of business or government
in a "healthy" light.
The movie, watched with my Dad on Father's Day, had an effect on
my Dad. He works in the USA, and was going to retire there. Now
he's contemplating moving back to Canada when he retires.
Once again, I expect him to come under severe attack for this movie.
However, I just don't see how anyone can refute anything he documents.
My rating, 5/5, must watch for everyone, Canadian, American, British,
French, et al.
ers
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