Comments on: To “Sicko” or Not to “Sicko”: That is the question!! http://www.healinghealth.com/blog/archives/106 Susan Mazer's Blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:55:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Jack Chen http://www.healinghealth.com/blog/archives/106#comment-14 Jack Chen Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:55:20 +0000 http://www.healinghealth.com/blog/archives/106#comment-14 I haven't seen this movie yet. After reading your article, I think I cannot wait anymore because I care about the broken system as well. I still remember that 3 years ago my baby boy’s short 3 day stay at a hospital, due to a common cold virus, brought me a bill of $10,000. Even though my insurance carried the majority of the burden, I had to take $800 out of my own pocket. Every time I think about this, I would wonder how broken the system has been and how it could be fixed. Now the movie might give me a clue. I haven’t seen this movie yet. After reading your article, I think I cannot wait anymore because I care about the broken system as well. I still remember that 3 years ago my baby boy’s short 3 day stay at a hospital, due to a common cold virus, brought me a bill of $10,000. Even though my insurance carried the majority of the burden, I had to take $800 out of my own pocket. Every time I think about this, I would wonder how broken the system has been and how it could be fixed. Now the movie might give me a clue.

]]> By: Glenn S. Ruga http://www.healinghealth.com/blog/archives/106#comment-15 Glenn S. Ruga Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:02:59 +0000 http://www.healinghealth.com/blog/archives/106#comment-15 I did go see Sicko harboring prejudices from his previous film, Farenheit 911, which I thought was overly manipulative of the audience and disrepectful of his subjects. (Even if s/he despises his subjects, a filmmaker must show respect toward them). I was pleasantly suprised by Sicko and congratulate Moore for weaving through the minefield of the healthcare debate. I was also suprised that the film was much broader than healthcare--it took on the cultural values of America that produces such a sick(o) healthcare system. The only criticism I had was that he was overly laudatory of the European and Candaia systems. They certainly have their drawbacks as well--but they do provide care for free or nearly free for their citizens. This cannot be criticized. What is the fundamental problem? I wouldn't go so far as to call it feudal, but certainly 19th century laissez faire eonomics, where ordinary citizens can be taken advantage of by those with the means to do so, and no government regulation to prevent it. What we lost with the end of the cold war was a legitimate opposition to unbridled capitalism and free-market eonomics. Cuba has certainly shown us another way. They do have the best healthcare system in Latin America. America has inspired the world because we have been the champion of individual initiative. But we have lost something in the process--caring for those who are not in the fast lane and those who do not contribute (in a big way) to our bottom line. If America is going to continue to be a great nation, we must turn our might toward feeding the human soul. Not in a religious sense but in the fundamental sense of caring for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its citizens--healthcare included. I did go see Sicko harboring prejudices from his previous film, Farenheit 911, which I thought was overly manipulative of the audience and disrepectful of his subjects. (Even if s/he despises his subjects, a filmmaker must show respect toward them). I was pleasantly suprised by Sicko and congratulate Moore for weaving through the minefield of the healthcare debate. I was also suprised that the film was much broader than healthcare–it took on the cultural values of America that produces such a sick(o) healthcare system. The only criticism I had was that he was overly laudatory of the European and Candaia systems. They certainly have their drawbacks as well–but they do provide care for free or nearly free for their citizens. This cannot be criticized.

What is the fundamental problem? I wouldn’t go so far as to call it feudal, but certainly 19th century laissez faire eonomics, where ordinary citizens can be taken advantage of by those with the means to do so, and no government regulation to prevent it.

What we lost with the end of the cold war was a legitimate opposition to unbridled capitalism and free-market eonomics. Cuba has certainly shown us another way. They do have the best healthcare system in Latin America.

America has inspired the world because we have been the champion of individual initiative. But we have lost something in the process–caring for those who are not in the fast lane and those who do not contribute (in a big way) to our bottom line.

If America is going to continue to be a great nation, we must turn our might toward feeding the human soul. Not in a religious sense but in the fundamental sense of caring for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its citizens–healthcare included.

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