SICKO

October 6, 2024

Moore, M. (2007). SICKO. The Weinstein Company. Documentary. 2:03:59.

About: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicko    

(SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, universal health care, National Health Service (NHS))

Sicko begins by noting that almost 50 million Americans were uninsured in 2007 while the remainder, who are covered, are often victims of insurance company fraud and red tape. Sicko mentions that the World Health Organization ranks U.S. health in general as 37 out of 191 countries and ranks some U.S. health measures, such as infant mortality and life expectancy, as equal to countries with much less economic wealth. Interviews are conducted with people who thought they had adequate coverage but were denied care. Former employees of insurance companies describe cost-cutting initiatives that give bonuses to insurance company physicians and others to find reasons for the company to avoid meeting the cost of medically necessary treatments for policy holders, and thus increase company profitability.

About the American healthcare system, focusing particularly on the managed-care and pharmaceutical industries. At least four major pharmaceutical companies— Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and GlaxoSmithKline—ordered their employees not to grant any interviews or assist Moore. According to Moore in a letter on his website, “roads that often surprise us and lead us to new ideas—and challenge us to reconsider the ones we began with have caused some minor delays.” The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2007, receiving a lengthy standing ovation, and was released in the U.S. and Canada on June 29, 2007. The film is currently ranked the twelfth highest grossing documentary of all time and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature – WIKI

List of countries with universal health care

There is no universal healthcare. The U.S. government does not provide health benefits to citizens or visitors. Any time you get medical care, someone has to pay for it.  Even with expensive health insurance, that often denies claims, and refuses to pay for life saving treatment. Families go bankrupt and lose everything they have worked their entire lives for due to a system designed to maximize profit, over care.

#michaelmoore #sicko #universalhealthcare #NationalHealthService #socializedmedicine