"Sicko"
It probably won't come as a surprise to longtime readers of this blog, that I'm a fan of filmmaker Michael Moore. His politics aside, I enjoy his sense of humor and willingness to take chances and explore issues most mainstream movie makers would never even think of mentioning.
His latest film, "Sicko," opens this Friday, and I am very hopeful that it will help spark a national debate about the dreadful state of healthcare in this country. From what I've read, Moore has abandoned his confrontational approach and is now just trying to encourage a discussion about the issue. I read an interview where he said he felt his old films were divisive and he felt the issue of healthcare was too important to polarize people through politics.
The movie apparently deals with people who are insured, and yet still couldn't cope with the devastating effects of illness and the predatory practices of health insurance companies. I guess Moore also interviews employees from those companies, who admit to pushing the bottom line, and showing little or no mercy to the people covered by their organization.
Of course, this comes as no surprise to those of us in the field. We are caught in the middle, making life or death decisions not just about actual medical care, but the financial liabilities as well. I'm not sure if universal healthcare is the answer, but I'm glad Michael Moore has made a major movie asking the question. What do you think?
posted by Anne @ 1:03 PM
22 comments
22 Comments:
Anne, I can see you have not researched his project very carefully if you think this will help the American Insurance situation. First of all, France is almost bankrupt because of their health plan, British citizens have to wait months to be scheduled for surgery, etc. All of this has been documented in the news, as well as reports from those countries annals. Michael Moore aptly named his movie because he is a true "sicko".
I personally have never been a fan of Michael Moore. I do have to admit that if this film sparks a debate in this country regarding healthcare I am all for it. I see everyday patients needing care and not being able to commit due to insurance coverage. Or having such a high deductible that they can't pay their deductibles after having an extensive surgery. As providers we are not allowed to w/o those deductibles. So here we sit with a claim that has been reduced by the insurance for contractual reasons and then wait for our money from the patient to pay us for their high deductibles. And not just our patients, but our own families are struggling. I have two elderly parents who are on a lot of medication. And the medication is not cheap. Who is getting rich here....Insurance companies and drug companies. This has got to stop. And if his movie prompts a debate I'm all for it. I definitely plan on going to the movies this weekend.
The problem is you are only seeing his opinion and those remarks carefully edited to perpetuate his beliefs; this does not make his subject matter true.
Anne, Micheal Moore is as qualified to research insurance as I am to practice gynecology. What a farce.
I am not a fan of Michael Moore's. I find he is often one dimensional in his approach to subject matter. He is not obliged to complicate his projects with facts but instead prefers to make his "documentaries" based on his preconcieved notions of the subject matter. In other words knowing the outcome he wants to project prior to starting his "documentary". Maybe his approach will be different with "SICKO" but doubtful. Healthcare does need attention. I just don't think Michael Moore is the guy I want working on it. Or for that matter even addressing it for fear he will slant opinion based on his approach which is very grating to most of America.
Whether you appreciate Michael Moore, his film making style, or his politics - we should all applaud him for at least having the courage to broach a subject so many are too afriad to touch - insurance and the problems therein. Who here has the guts to challenge Medicare for fear they will audit or worse, stop payment. All those in healthcare (aside from insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies) will benefit from this expose and for starting the ever-important dialog about how to fix our flailing system.
I find it interesting you believe Michael Moore's comments that he did not wish to be devisive or polarize this topic! Good grief! Of course that is his intent. He is a filmmaker and has gained considerable attention by this approach.
The problems with US healthcare do not rest solely with the insurance industry. I have been blessed to have worked in healthcare for over 20 years and have the unique perspective of having worked as a critical care RN, a medical review nurse for a major payor, a national healthcare coding, billing and compliance consultant, and now as a physician clinic practice administrator. Everyone has a responsibility for the state of healthcare that currently exists -- including consumers. It is easy to say it's the payors, pharmaceutical companies, physicians, hospitals, etc. Finger pointing won't fix it. No one wants to give up any piece of the pie -- consumers want every technological benefit, but don't want to pay anything out of pocket; physicians and hospitals want to make the most profit -- no different from the payors and pharmaceutcal companies who also want the same. All defend their billing practices on overhead, research costs, etc., etc.
If we think national health care will solve any of this, we are wearing blinders. Look at our broken federal and/or state systems now: Medicare, Medicaid, the VA healthcare system, etc. Look at the federal response to the Katrina disaster.
As the prior response also indicated -- look to the countries with national healthcare. How long do you want a family member to wait for palliative radiation therapy for prostate cancer? Many wait for more than a year or die waiting!
We all must accept responsibility for our part in managing this problem -- payors, healthcare systems and individual groups, pharmaceutical companies, consumers. Until we point the fingers back at ourselves and try to respond ethically and responsibly, we will never even begin to make small repairs on this problem.
In the meantime, Michael Moore is not the person who can create any meaningful dialogue. He wants to sell tickets and get free publicity and thanks to you, Anne, he just did!
I have asked to be removed from your email list. Anyone who thinks Michael Moore is anything but a fat idiot with a liberal, anti-American agenda has limited credibility with me. Those of us who work in healthcare will see his latest hit piece as just that, a hit piece. He is an idiot.
For the most part, I think Michael Moore is an entertainer and shouldn't be the individual "starting" this debate much less driving it. He is mean spirited, has a liberal bias, and his Hollywood connection alone is reason enough to boycott this movie. The Hollywood connection to Washington is a real problem in this country as I see it. When topics such as this are addressed by tne entertainment industry, I believe they are trivialized and lose traction instead of gaining momentum. I agree that everyone that participates in this industry bears some part of the blame. While I do not think that insurance companies etc., should be allowed limitless profits, I realize that they, like my practice, are businesses who need to generate a profit, for their shareholders, and in my case for my Physicians. I am frankly appauled when he gets national media coverage on this topic or any other. Why don't we just let Paris Hilton fix this problem??? Taking him seriously is tanamount to the same thing.
I deplore Michael Moore and anything associated with him. His distortion of facts is unparalleled! I believe Michael Moore is an opportunist and makes millions inciting disgruntled people into blaming the government for every problem out there. This is just another Ka-ching for Michael Moore and I will NOT support anything or anyone associated with him. It seems odd that a grossly obese person has suddenly become an expert on healthcare.
Ann,
I agree with you... I think this movie will make the public more aware of what is going on with our current health care system. I am also a Michael Moore fan and very happy to see he came out with this movie. As a health care administrator, I believe our public needs to be aware of our current system and I know this movie will help.
I am not the least bit suprised by the comments you received regarding Michael Moore. We have an acute problem with healthcare and I don't see the President or anyone in his cabinet makeing any effort to relieve the pressure that has been brought, especially to the elderly and poor, to do anything about it. We send billions of dollars all over the world,send rockets into space, spend untold amounts on stupid legislation and NOTHING to help the American people. Go to it Mr. Moore and anyone else who can raise the consciences of a truly unconcerned population.
The comments criticizing Michael Moore have statements calling him "fat" and "Obese". Does that have anything to do with subject matter at hand? No, it is just name calling. By the way, appalled is not spelled apauled.
Michael Moore is as qualified as anyone is to bring up the subject of healthcare and the insurance industry. If you don't like his movies, don't go. The same as any other filmmaker. Personally, I didn't care for Mel Gibson's behavior and bigoted remarks, so I didn't go see Apocalypto. I believe this over-reaction to Michael Moore's movie - apparently not seen yet by these commentators, is quite uneccesary.
Anne, I was pleased that you chose to bring up the subject of Michael Moore's new film "Sicko" on your blog.
I am disappointed that many of those who have posted comments here are so negative about Moore and his movie. Moore, presumably because of his tactics and choice of subject material, is an extremely polarizing figure. I feel that his previous films have been tailored to reinforce the social/political positions of those of similar political bent. This is a shame because his subject material is very timely. The dismantlement of the American manufacturing base, the increasing trend of gun violence in our country and the political background of the second Iraq war; These are challenging issues that few in the media examine closely enough.
Unfortunately, Moore's tone and over the top bias repel just the audience that might benefit from a more thorough examination of these weighty issues. I think this fact is borne out with the negative responses from many on this blog. The second anonymous 1:02 PM post from today implies that Moore is unqualified to examine the health insurance industry. Who would this critic select as the filmmaker of a film about the healthcare in our country? Why hasn't that person stepped forward? I believe that any private citizen would do a better job at examining the industry than the "experts" that are paraded about on the television news shows. Most of these individuals are mouthpieces on the payrolls of our largest insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
We in the healthcare field are responsible for the disarray and malfeasance that currently passes for America's healthcare system. It is obvious to me that if things are going to improve, those who have up to now, avoided the heavy lifting are going to need to roll up their sleeves and get to work. It is a shame that some of those in our profession have passed judgment on a film that deals with the healthcare crisis that we witness everyday.
This film has yet to be released and some within our ranks are already refusing to see it because of the messenger. SHAME ON US! America deserves better than what we have given her.
- A patriot in Texas
I don't work in the healthcare industry, I’m just a consumer. I have to say though that when you go for a physical and your physical never seems to be with an actual MD I think there’s a problem. When you go for a physical and you are having some issues and the nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant that you are talking with doesn’t really have the time to listen, there is a problem. Thank goodness for Google because now when I go to the “Dr.” I tell them what direction to head with the problem I am there for. In other countries you get to see a Doctor, someone that has gone to medical school.
I don’t think that Michael Moore would care that you think he’s a “fat idiot” just as much as you wouldn’t care that he would think you are a narrow minded child.
I say BRAVO to ANYONE that can shed light on a healthcare system that doesn’t have 10 minutes a year to spare for each patient!
Why don't we follow the money? Where is all the money in healthcare today?
Well physicians make good salaries, of course a lot of those physicians work 60 to 80 hours a week and live paycheck to paycheck just like most of America. Why do we make villains out of the physician who spent 14 years in college and medical school so he or she might someday save your life?
The hospitals have quite a bit of money, but they have to give it to shareholders if they are public, and I really do not know what most private hospitals do with their monies, except pay their CEO’s more than any physician I know.
Patients do not have any money; they paid it all to the deductible that is what they tell my billing people. We do not charge interest on their accounts and willingly set up payment plans.
Insurance companies have a lot of money. In fact their rates go up every year, to account for losses and inflation. But they pay physicians less every year. This year our medical practice had a 6% of the reimbursement from insurance payments; and paid 24% more in insurance benefits, which really makes sense?
Medical sales companies have quite a bit of money. Companies like Philips, GE, Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson. Their money goes to Research and Development, shareholders, and their CEO’s also make good salaries.
How did this happen. No it did not start with Medicare. Greed my friends it is pure unadulterated greed. It is the basis for a capitalist society (not democracy).
How do we fix it? Do we become socialistic in our approach? Do we deregulate? Do we set up a national health care system so that everyone has care at some level? Is any system financially sustainable? I do not believe that a pure bureaucratic national plan will work. Regional delivery has to be considered, what may work in New Orleans will probably not work in Minneapolis.
We need debate. We need Ideas. I personally do not care if the debate starts here with Anne’s Blog, Michael Moore, Fred Thompson, or Paris Hilton. However, if we don’t come up with something soon our current system will continue to collapse, but then again, maybe it needs too.
People people people... removing yourself from the email list? Name calling? This was meant to elicit an intelligent blog, not some hateful personal attacks on Michael Moore or, more importantly Anne, who takes her time to broach important subject matter here.. shame shame... Anne, you touched a nerve... BRAVO!
Wow, the childish, personal attacks on Michael Moore reflect the lack of intelligence of those writing the comments. Thanks for bringing up an important subject that affects ALL of us. It is time to LISTEN and LEARN and try to solve this problem. It is long past time to put aside your personal political agenda, and work together. This is a non- partisan issue.
While the American healthcare system does have its share of problems it is still considered the best in the world. Giving total control of this system to the government will in essence turn all of our hospitals into the equivalent of VA Medical Centers. I would personally much prefer a system that was based on free market competition (consumer driven) which afforded us the ablility to maintain our current level of technology and research and breeding efficiency thru competition. As a country we have already lost our competetive advantage in most major industries due to complex, costly and far reaching goverment regulations. If Mr Moore has his way, the healthcare industry will soon follow as we essentially "throw out the baby with the bathwater".
My hat's off to you for instigating a discussion on the topic. John Combs
Oi, achei teu blog pelo google tá bem interessante gostei desse post. Quando der dá uma passada pelo meu blog, é sobre camisetas personalizadas, mostra passo a passo como criar uma camiseta personalizada bem maneira. Até mais.
I saw "Sicko" last night and it was very good. This is a thought provoking movie. Whether you agree with universal healthcare or not, you must admit we have to change the current system where necessary medical care is denied to patients by insurance companies that do not care about providing service to their "customers" i.e., subscribers and employers, but only care about pleasing their shareholders.
I think this movie was great. Working in Healthcare for 12 years I have seen several close people to me go through a lot of what these people experienced. He did point out a lot of facts within our insurance system. My parents who are elderly constantly get taken by the system, and certainly physicians do profit if they use certain pharmaceutical companies. I have seen this. Thank you for bringing this subject to light, and kudos to Michael Moore on a documentary well done.
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