Michael Moore’s latest documentary Sicko is causing much stir in the mainstream press. As expected, media outlets including CNN have come out with reports that Moore has exaggerated or all-out “fudged” the facts.Not taking the criticisms lightly, Moore has released a “point-by-point obliteration” of the CNN reports geared to buttress the credibility of the film.
If you haven’t yet seen Sicko, I highly recommend it. Even though I don’t agree with his solution, Moore has put together an excellent portrayal of what is wrong with health care in the United States. Sicko is one of the BEST films I have ever seen, and I’m thrilled that he’s not taking the mainstream press’ criticisms sitting down.
A 2001 U.S. study showed that about half of all bankruptcies in that year were the result of medical problems -- and most of those who went bankrupt for this reason (more than three-quarters) were covered by health insurance at the start of the illness. Medical bankruptcies affect more than 2 million annually. Sicko offers a well-researched, and often heart-breaking, examination of the causes and effects of this problem.
However, although Moore assessment of the problem is spot-on, he would have the U.S. government pay for all the care for the uninsured. While the movie makes some compelling arguments and it might make sense for acute traumas, the bulk of the disease in this country are chronic degenerative diseases. With the government NOT paying for these expenses, the U.S. is already paying more than two trillion dollars a year for "health care" and headed to three trillion per year by the end of the decade. If the government assumes these costs it will bankrupt the country even faster.