Sicko

Okay, club members. Question for you. Have any of you seen Michael Moore's movie, Sicko? I am not asking because I want to start some big political debate or get people going at each other--I just want to start a conversation. (If you don't know about this movie, it speaks about the dysfunctional healthcare system in the US compared to universal healthcare systems elsewhere in the world.) I, for one, believe this is a people issue and not a democrat-republican, liberal-conservative, or what have you issue. I was just curious what any of your thoughts were regarding this issue because we are all affected by healthcare for the rest of our lives just because of our pacers. Those of us here on the site in the US, what do you think? How about you club members outside of the US?

I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot for posting this one! I am just truly curious...
ela-girl

8 Comments

I saw the movie

by MSPACER - 2007-11-30 06:11:39

I thought he did a very good job with the movie. He definitely slanted the movie toward universal health coverage. I don't know if that is the answer, but the movie is definitely good for starting a discussion on the state of health care coverage in this country. Something definitely needs to be done. I hope the next President will get it right!

I Have It On Order

by Strummin Steve - 2007-11-30 06:11:58

I belong to one of those internet hire DVD clubs and I have it on order. I'll let you know when I've seen it. I live here in England and had my ICD iplanted via the national health service so maybe I can see it from both sides. I've just spent a couple of weeks in Texas (in October) and was impressed by the number of cardiac facilities I passed but presumably it's a pay as you go system. Steve

haven't seen the movie...but

by pat - 2007-11-30 10:11:40

just my opinion...i had to have an emergency pm implanted...no insurance coverage...so far my bills, hospital, cardio dr. ambulances, emergency room...etc etc...are up to $100,000 and still comming in. i have no idea how i am ever going to pay these bills..if there was such a thing as universal healthcare i would be all for it

thanks

pat

No conscious

by TR - 2007-12-01 01:12:57

15,000,000 people without health insurance, but Congress, the VP and Prez make sure they have theirs.
Obama & Clinton both say they will make medical insurance mandatory and the insurance companies will be required to take everyone instead of cherry-picking only the best. Sure they will and the premium will be so high for most they can't afford it. Unless the premiums are held down within reason mandatory will not work.

Broken System

by VIOLIN - 2007-12-01 03:12:58

The medical system of insurance and un-insurance in our country is severely dysunctional and broken. I saw sicko even though i am not a michael moore enthusiast.
I have been a physician in private practice for 27 years and am starting a new postion in Public health real soon. I cannot stand working in the managed care environment ANY LONGER!!! I despise having to see so many patients in a short time. I like to take time with patients the way I was trained to do. In leaving managed care, private-practice i enter the world of medicaid and government-backed programs which also are not perfectly run; but taking care of underprivileged patients is my goal after racing through the day in private practice. Many of my collegues(also well-trained and love medicine) have already gone on to other areas like me.

also I am frustrated with the pharmaceutical industry and reps bringing food, pens and coffee mugs along with mock-ups of their specific drug with multiple mailings and hand-outs; yet the drugs are cost-prohibitive. We need a real leader in washington to see through the quagmire! So far I have been unimpressed that any of the candidates "get it."
VIOLIN

Could go either way

by Butch - 2007-12-01 08:12:48

This is hard to pick whats best.
On 1 hand it would be good to have eveyone be able to go to the dr. without paying for it the rest of their life.

BUT on the other hand, If we went to a united health system we would have a flood people going to the dr's and a major back log to get immediate help when we need it. People could be dieing while waiting for an appointment.
As it is, the last time you went to the emergency room how long did you wait to be seen.

If it was up to me I`d say they need to put together a government program where you pay into a reduced cost for health insurance. It would have to be based on income. A certain percentage of your yearly earnings would be your monthly payments.

Guess we'll see what happens in a year or two....

SICKO

by SMITTY - 2007-12-01 12:12:30

I've seen only one Michael Moore film and his work does not impress me. The man has ulterior motives. The same ulterior motives that most business owners have, that is to make money. The difference, as I see it, Moore takes a popular subject and then with a little superficial research, sensationalizes the subject just for the almighty dollar. He is now on a tirade about our poor health system and I really doubt that he gives a rat's behind about what many people do or do no have. All he is looking for is the millions of dollars and the feeling of importance he gets from being in the spotlight.

As for our health system, I agree with almost everyone that it is pathetic. We have far too many people in this country that do not have the health care they need and deserve. As for what all the presidential candidates are promising, I see them as a very short step ahead of Michael Moore. It is a subject that can, or cannot, get them votes. It all depends on how badly a person, or someone that person knows, needs health care that they cannot get because they cannot afford the insurance premiums. But then I'm one of those people that think that if you show me a politician, I'll show you a liar. So I take anything one of the candidates says with a big grain of salt.

There are two reasons for that. A politician will say almost anything to get votes and our president can do very little without the agreement of Congress. And all we have to do is take a look at what is going on in Washington right now to know how that can go.

As for our government getting involved any more than they are now, I have mixed feelings about that. All I have to do is take a look around at some of the other programs the government has instituted (deregulation of the telephone business for example) and seen how much the cost has increased to make me have serious doubts that politicians can come up with one that is better than what we have now. Don't get me wrong. The cost of today's medical care is totally out of reason.

My wife and I are very fortunate. We have Medicare and are enrolled in a local HMO that owns outstanding facilities at which we get our care. But our out-of-pocket expenses for the two of us is about $10,000/yr. We both receive SS which totals almost $30,000/yr. I can guarantee you that if we had only our SS to live on and paying one-third of it for medical care would be too much for us to handle. So while our health care costs are not a problem for us, we do routinely disagree with what some of the quacks want us to do.

I am realistic enough to know that if we were getting our health care from some other source we would probably have the same complaints. But because of our age and the current government regulations, if we decide to leave our current HMO and go to another, if we will stay within a mandated time line, a new HMO cannot refuse us coverage at their established prices, regardless of our on going health problems.

You know, if it wasn’t cold and raining outside, I wouldn't be sitting here spending my time this way, but it is and I am. So I'll ramble on for a little while. Does our country really want socialized medicine? The young that are having a really bad time getting and paying for the care they need, I'm sure their answer would be yes because they would be saying give us anything and it would be better than what we now have. I will not argue for or against socialized medicine, because even if an attempt to establish it were tried I probably will not be alive when it becomes fact. However, I do say anyone that really wants more government involved in their health care should take a hard look at the Medicare Plan D. This is supposed to help with the cost of our prescription medicines. That is the most convoluted program I will ever see. Based on what I have seen with Medicare Plan D, God help us if the current bunch in Washington were to try to formulate and pass a nationwide healthcare program.

I think it is time for me to stop. I've spent all this time and all I've really said is I'm not a fan of Michael Moore's films; I don't trust politicians; I think our current health care programs stink and I shudder at the thought of having a bunch of old men and women that are for the most part totally out of touch with reality trying to implement a new program that will help us. This conclusion is based on the results of their past efforts, such as the telephone deregulation and a few other government programs.

Have a good day folks,

Smitty

Are there any Canadians in the House?

by dcrojas - 2007-12-02 07:12:13

Just curious I know Canada has a National Health Plan, they seem to handle it pretty well, in fact Congress had to pass a law to keep Americans from going over to Canada to buy prescription drugs which were much cheaper there because the government isn't owned by Big Pharma. Just wondering if anyone from the group is canadian and might share how their PM experience was handled.
Haven't seen the Movie yet...
DC

PS: My message is shorter than Smitty's cause it hasn't rained around here in 3 months.

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