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Sicko (Special Edition)
5
Following on the heels of his Palm d’Or winning Fahrenheit 9/11 and his Oscar winning film Bowling for Columbine, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore’s new documentary sets out to investigate the American healthcare system. Sticking to his tried-and-true one-man approach, Moore sheds light on the complicated medical affairs of individuals and local communities.SiCKO is more like a controlled howl of protest than a documentary. Toning down the rhetoric of past efforts–no CEOs, congressmen, or celebrities were accosted in the making of this film–Michael Moore’s latest provocation is just as heartfelt, if not more heartbreaking. As he clarifies from the outset, his subject isn’t the 45 million Americans without insurance, but those whose coverage has failed to meet their needs. He starts by speaking with patients who’ve been denied life-saving procedures, like chemotherapy, for the most spurious of reasons. Then he travels to Canada, England, and France to see if socialized medicine is as inefficient as U.S. politicians like to claim–especially those who receive funding from pharmaceutical companies. Moore finds quality care available to all, regardless as to income. He concludes with a stunt that made headlines when he assembles a group of 9/11 rescue workers suffering from a variety of afflictions. When Moore is informed that detainees at Guantánamo Bay–technically American soil–qualify for universal coverage, he and his companions travel to Cuba to get in on that action. It’s a typically grandstanding move on Moore’s part. And it proves remarkably effective when these altruistic individuals, who’ve either been denied treatment or forced to pay outrageous costs for their medication, experience a dramatically different system. Nine years in the making, SiCKO makes a persuasive case that it’s time for America to catch up with the rest of the world. –Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Sicko Michael Moore examine health savings accounts
0Michael Moore’s new movie SiCKO
is a poignant and sometimes humorous look at the state of health care reform in the United States, but it favors a solution (State Health), which would mean that ‘worse. Instead of creating more bureaucracy and government control, we should encourage competition among providers of health care and personal responsibility of the consumer. health savings accounts or HSAs, to do exactly that, and the future of healthcare in America.
Many people think that a change of government health care is called a “single-payer system is the answer. But if you look at the countries which are currently the single-payer systems, it is quite obvious that they lack the systems, with citizens of these countries hard to change.
Because demand rises when prices fall, the only way a government, “provides free health care” can control costs by restricting access. This has affected citizens in countries with payer systems Single still long waits and lack of access to medical care and technology.
For example, in Canada there are currently more than 800,000 people on waiting lists for medical procedures. The waiting time for people who are referred for surgery, is very long and can sometimes be more than six months! If this was not the fact that thousands of Canadians come to the United States each year for treatment, the average waiting time would be even more.
Per capita, Canada has only 20% the number of MRI, that the United States, and only 14% as many CT scans. There are hundreds of prescription drugs available in the U.S. who are not yet available in Canada who seek to control costs.
The situation in Britain is not better, with more than 1 million people currently on waiting lists. In June, the UK Department of Health revealed that 13% of patients waiting more than a year for planned and bottlenecks forcing more than 50,000 transactions per year for cancellation.
Waiting for surgery is not just an inconvenience, it can mean the difference between life and death. For example, the United States, the survival rate for colon cancer stage 1 is 90%, in Britain it is 70%. American women diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer have a survival rate of 97% after 5 years in Great Britain there are only 78%.
While Americans see a copy of these systems have failed, citizens in Europe and Canada are in the opposite direction. Germany will strengthen competition laws recently passed insurance, Sweden began to privatize some of its health care, and millions of Europeans, we should find the ‘opt-out of their health systems of government.
In the UK there are now more than 6 5 million people with private insurance, despite the availability of “free” coverage of their NHS. Another 250,000 self-fund each year for private acute surgery, because they do not want or can not afford to wait. Even the Labor Party now favors privatization of health care in the United Kingdom.
In 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered a decision which stated: “The prohibition of private health insurance for … is not constitutional where the public network, services and equipment adequate, it is not. “Clinics Private health insurance are being opened in Canada in the amount of five per month.
Unfortunately, in a socialized system, you are your body and your life is no longer under your control.
Is not it amazing that some of the same people, the inability of the government – including Katrina, criticizing UPS saw many in the war against terrorism, No Child Left Behind and more – in fact, that the government would a good job, CEO of health care nation?
Freedom, choice and innovation are what gave us the best quality of care in the world. We must change that, but the answer is government intervention is no less. Through the promotion of consumer-oriented solutions, competition and price transparency, we can help you avoid health services would allow control of the state disaster.
A large part of the solution, which is already at the beginning of the adoption of health savings accounts. Approximately five million Americans have already set up an HSA and over five billion dollars already invested in these special bank accounts.
People may have to cancel an HSA money to pay future medical expenses, and learn to take a tax deduction. Because you’re a health plan high-deductible contribution to an HSA must be to promote these plans to attract more people to spend their money on health care, money they do not spend the rest HSA .
The result is that the medical service for the customer again in the competition through lower prices and better quality and convenience. Already we see the prices of prescription drugs and low-cost clinics in the spring for Wal-Mart and other retail stores.
As more and more go to HSA, we will not only benefit consumers, but we will start to see more people taking the lead when it comes to their health. A health savings account owners, who eats well and exercises is probably a much better balance in their account at retirement.
They will result in a healthier and wealthier group of retirees and a smaller burden on our tax system in the future.
Michael Moore’s Sicko Misses the Solution: Health Savings Accounts
0Michael Moore’s new movie SICKO is a humorous and at times emotionally moving look at the state of U. S. healthcare, but it promotes a solution (government healthcare) that would only make matters worse. Instead of more bureaucracy and government control, we should be encouraging competition among healthcare providers and personal responsibility among consumers. Health savings accounts, or HSAs, do just that, and are the future of healthcare in America.
Many well-meaning people believe that a government take-over of healthcare coverage, called a “single-payer” system, is the answer. But if one simply looks at the countries that currently have single-payer systems, it is quite apparent that they are failed systems, with the citizens of these countries clamoring for change.
Because demand goes up when prices go down, the only way a government that provides “free” healthcare can control cost is by limiting access. So citizens in countries with single-payer systems always suffer long waits and lack of access to medical care and technologies.
For instance, in Canada there are currently over 800,000 people on waiting lists for medical procedures. The average wait time for people who are referred for surgery is over four months! If it weren’t for the fact that thousands of Canadians come to the U. S. each year for treatment, the average wait times would be even longer.
Per capita, Canada only has 20% the number of MRIs that the U. S. has, and only 14% as many CAT Scans. There are hundreds of prescription drugs available in the U. S. that are not yet available in Canada as they try to control costs.
The situation in Britain is no better, with over 1 million people currently on waiting lists. In June Britain’s Health Department found that 1 in 8 patients waits over a year for scheduled surgery, and shortages are forcing more than 50,000 operations to be cancelled each year.
Waiting for surgery is not just an inconvenience; it can mean the difference between living and dying. For instance, in the U. S. the survival rate for stage 1 colon cancer is 90%; in Britain it is 70%. American women diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer have a 97% survival rate after 5 years; in Britain it’s only 78%.
As Americans contemplate copying these failed systems, citizens in Europe and Canada are headed in the opposite direction. Germany just recently passed laws to enhance insurance competition, Sweden has begun privatizing some of its healthcare, and millions of Europeans are finding ways to opt-out of their government healthcare systems.
In Britain there are now over 6. 5 million people who carry private insurance, despite the availability of “free” coverage from their NHS. Another 250,000 self-fund each year for acute private surgery, because they don’t want to or cannot afford to wait. Even the Labour party now favors privatization of healthcare in Britain.
In 2005 the Canadian Supreme court issued a ruling which stated, “The prohibition on obtaining private health insurance… is not constitutional where the public system fails to deliver reasonable services. ” Private healthcare clinics are now opening in Canada at the rate of one per week.
Unfortunately, under a socialized system, your body and your life are no longer under your control.
Isn’t it amazing that some of the same people who criticize government ineptness – including Katrina, the many screw-ups in the war on terror, No Child Left Behind, and more – actually think the government would do a good job managing the nation’s healthcare?
Freedom, choice, and innovation are what have given us the highest quality healthcare in the world. We absolutely do need change, but the answer is less government intervention, not more. By encouraging consumer-driven solutions, competition, and price transparency, we can help avoid the healthcare disaster that government control would bring.
One big part of the solution that is already beginning is the adoption of Health Savings Accounts. Over five million Americans already have an HSA set up, and over five billion dollars is already invested in these special bank accounts.
People who have an HSA can set aside money to pay for future medical expenses, and get a tax deduction to do so. Because you must have a high-deductible health plan to contribute to an HSA, these plans encourage people to more carefully spend their healthcare dollars, since money they don’t spend stays in the HSA.
The result is that medical providers once again are competing for customers by lowering prices, and increasing quality and convenience. Already we are seeing plummeting prices on prescription drugs, and low-cost medical clinics spring up in Wal-Mart and other retail locations.
As more and more people obtain HSAs, we will not only see a benefit for the consumers, but we will also begin to see more people who take a proactive attitude when it comes to their health. A Health Savings Account owner who exercises and eats right will likely have a much larger balance in their account by the time they retire.
These changes will result in a healthier and wealthier group of retirees and a smaller burden on our tax system in the future.
Michael Moore’s Sicko Should Have Considered Health Savings Accounts
0Michael Moore’s new movie SICKO is a humorous and at times emotionally moving look at the state of U. S. healthcare, but it promotes a solution (government healthcare) that would only make matters worse. Instead of more bureaucracy and government control, we should be encouraging competition among healthcare providers and personal responsibility among consumers. Health savings accounts, or HSAs, do just that, and are the future of healthcare in America.
Many people believe that a government take-over of healthcare coverage, called a “single-payer” system, is the answer. But if one simply looks at the countries that currently have single-payer systems, it is quite apparent that they are failed systems, with the citizens of these countries clamoring for change.
Because demand goes up when prices go down, the only way a government that provides “free” healthcare can control cost is by limiting access. So citizens in countries with single-payer systems always suffer long waits and lack of access to medical care and technologies.
For instance, in Canada there are currently over 800,000 people on waiting lists for medical procedures. The wait time for people who are referred for surgery is very long and can sometimes take over six months! If it weren’t for the fact that thousands of Canadians come to the U. S. each year for treatment, the average wait times would be even longer.
Per capita, Canada only has 20% the number of MRIs that the U. S. has, and only 14% as many CAT Scans. There are hundreds of prescription drugs available in the U. S. that are not yet available in Canada as they try to control costs.
The situation in Britain is no better, with over 1 million people currently on waiting lists. In June Britain’s Health Department found that 13% of patients wait over a year for scheduled surgery, and shortages are forcing more than 50,000 operations to be cancelled each year.
Waiting for surgery is not just an inconvenience; it can mean the difference between living and dying. For instance, in the U. S. the survival rate for stage 1 colon cancer is 90%; in Britain it is 70%. American women diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer have a 97% survival rate after 5 years; in Britain it’s only 78%.
As Americans contemplate copying these failed systems, citizens in Europe and Canada are headed in the opposite direction. Germany just recently passed laws to enhance insurance competition, Sweden has begun privatizing some of its healthcare, and millions of Europeans are finding ways to opt-out of their government healthcare systems.
In Britain there are now over 6. 5 million people who carry private insurance, despite the availability of “free” coverage from their NHS. Another 250,000 self-fund each year for acute private surgery, because they don’t want to or cannot afford to wait. Even the Labour party now favors privatization of healthcare in Britain.
In 2005 the Canadian Supreme court issued a ruling which stated, “The prohibition on obtaining private health insurance. . . is not constitutional where the public system fails to deliver reasonable services. ” Private healthcare clinics are now opening in Canada at the rate of five per month.
Unfortunately, under a socialized system, your body and your life are no longer under your control.
Isn’t it amazing that some of the same people who criticize government ineptness – including Katrina, the many screw-ups in the war on terror, No Child Left Behind, and more – actually think the government would do a good job managing the nation’s healthcare?
Freedom, choice, and innovation are what have given us the highest quality healthcare in the world. We absolutely do need change, but the answer is less government intervention, not more. By encouraging consumer-driven solutions, competition, and price transparency, we can help avoid the healthcare disaster that government control would bring.
One big part of the solution that is already beginning is the adoption of Health Savings Accounts. Over five million Americans already have an HSA set up, and over five billion dollars is already invested in these special bank accounts.
People who have an HSA can set aside money to pay for future medical expenses, and get a tax deduction to do so. Because you must have a high-deductible health plan to contribute to an HSA, these plans encourage people to more carefully spend their healthcare dollars, since money they don’t spend stays in the HSA.
The result is that medical providers once again are competing for customers by lowering prices, and increasing quality and convenience. Already we are seeing plummeting prices on prescription drugs, and low-cost medical clinics spring up in Wal-Mart and other retail locations.
As more and more people obtain HSAs, we will not only see a benefit for the consumers, but we will also begin to see more people who take a proactive attitude when it comes to their health. A Health Savings Account owner who exercises and eats right will likely have a much larger balance in their account by the time they retire.
These changes will result in a healthier and wealthier group of retirees and a smaller burden on our tax system in the future.
