Sicko the movie by Michael Moore

[Arrisu]

Today in my psychology class we we're watching a documentary by Michael Moore called Sicko. Let me tell you that before this film, I have never imagined the US had such a terribly corrupted health insurance and healthcare system. The situation bothered me a little, and the sad stories some citizens had to share brought me to tears.

After the film, my american friend and I we're discussing the movie on our break and she insisted that the situation wasn't that bad. She said that Michael Moore had been "cherry picking" facts and making the system seem terrible. What I'd like to know is if what she said true or is Michael Moore stating nothing but the total truth about the US healthcare?

Personally it seems completely silly to not have a universal healthcare for everyone.. so I don't understand why nobody's striving for change yet. The movie was really devastating. >_<


Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicko

[marvel_phoenix]

Some of what he mentions in that documentary is true, and some of is indeed "cherry picking". America does need some serious insurance reform though. Too many people are stuck paying more for insurance while watching their benefits shrink each year, but they put up with it so that their family needn't suffer from going without if something really serious should happen. Insurance companies are raking in big bucks and not even paying it forward. They wouldn't have to pay out so much if they could help get people to quit smoking and adopt healthier lifestyles. That is where a fair bit of the legitimate cost increases are coming from.

[SuXrys]

Well I don't know if it's true or not (except from the cases shown in the documentry)
but all I can say is that the American healtcare is famous worldwide... and not in the good way.
So there has to be some truth to it or else it wouldn't make any sense (???).

[marvel_phoenix]

It could at least cover preventive healthcare. It's relatively inexpensive considering other options. But no, it's all about profits with them.

[SuXrys]

It could at least cover preventive healthcare. It's relatively inexpensive considering other options. But no, it's all about profits with them.

In America do you pay a sum every month for healtcare? In that case, how much?

[Seifuku-kun]

Yeah so what happened to Obama's big healthcare reform?
From what I hear it was thinned out to a small percentage of the original intention? Apparently the republicans put a quick end to it.


@SuXrys
LoL!! that pic made my day!!

[Souhi]

They actually shot part of this in my hometown (Windsor). My childhood neighbourhood is 2 blocks over from the pharmacy/clinic that was showcased.

Being Canadian, I've taken free healthcare as something that's just there. Completely for granted.

[marvel_phoenix]

Monthly premiums depend largely on what insurrance plans employers opt for/labor unions secure for members. Those can very in specifics of what is covered, whether healthcare providers are "in-network" or not, and the amount of money you have to pay out of pocket until you reach your deductible for the year. If you reach the deductible, then certain things you wont have to pay for for the rest of the year.

Premiums then break down depending on the tier of coverage you choose and how people are covered. Singles pay a certain amount, as do couples, and families with kids. My husband and I cuurently pay somewhere around $375 US a month, divided into bi-weekly payments, and 13 payments a year. Dental is a seperate payment as well.

As for "Obama-care", a large bulk of it isn't set to kick in until 2014. And that's if opposition can't get it repealed/restructured.

[Manhattan_Project_2000]

Michael Moore is a best a stretcher of truths, at worst a full blown liar. You're usually better served closing your eyes, putting your fingers in your ears and humming during any and everything he does for the duration.

He's basically a more feminine looking lefty-Ann Coulter.

[Skylar1]

Our health care system has all of the priorities in the very wrong places.

First or all, I think basic preventative care (check ups; routine physicals) needs to be made free- insurance or not. The human body isn't a car or a house, you can't just put it off and forget about it for being to expensive to fix, because well, you'll die. I think it's wrong that people should be afraid of going to the doctor, simple because they're afraid of finding something that costs a fortune.

When people have to chose between health insurance, and making rent, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

[Gauntlgrym]

just a little "fun-fact":
america is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have it's healthcare provided by the government.

just saying this to anybody that wants to say "it won't work in america" or "thier will be death panels" or "but then people will just get crappy care, just like at the bmv".

if the rest of the world can make it work, then we can too, end of story.

[SuXrys]

Premiums then break down depending on the tier of coverage you choose and how people are covered. Singles pay a certain amount, as do couples, and families with kids. My husband and I cuurently pay somewhere around $375 US a month, divided into bi-weekly payments, and 13 payments a year. Dental is a seperate payment as well.

As for "Obama-care", a large bulk of it isn't set to kick in until 2014. And that's if opposition can't get it repealed/restructured.

Oh God that's much! I could never imagine someone to pay so much for something like healthcare. The systems are really different...

[marvel_phoenix]

Oh God that's much! I could never imagine someone to pay so much for something like healthcare. The systems are really different...

Yeah, but he's an RN at a hospital, wich is why part of that is so pricey. But still, we have no kids and that more than the families are required to pay! He will switching to a University hospital this month, where things will be just plain better for us.

[Seifuku-kun]

...and if I understand it correctly: if you have a bad history, cronic diseases or anything of the sort, you will have a really hard time getting an insurance?

[marvel_phoenix]

...and if I understand it correctly: if you have a bad history, cronic diseases or anything of the sort, you will have a really hard time getting an insurance?

Depends upon whether it is considered a "pre-existing condition" or not.

[Gauntlgrym]

...and if I understand it correctly: if you have a bad history, cronic diseases or anything of the sort, you will have a really hard time getting an insurance?

an example of having a hard time getting insurance:
this guy i used to work with was paying about $250/month for healthcare insurance. then he developed something (can't remember exactly what it was, this was YEARS ago).
the insurance provider is not allowed to drop him (by law), but what did they do??? they upped his premium to $1500/month!
well, he couldn't afford that, so he had to leave the insurance company.
so they made use of a loophole, and didn't drop him, but they pretty much did. they simply charged him so much that he had to drop himself.

then after that, his condition was "pre-existing", the insurance companies knew what he had, so they either would not insure him at all, OR they wanted to charge WAAAAAY more than he could afford.

so in the end, he had no way of getting insurance!

so the answer to your question is yes AND no.
as long as you have enough money, you won't have a hard time.........if not, you are S.O.L.

[Arrisu]

just a little "fun-fact":
america is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have it's healthcare provided by the government.

just saying this to anybody that wants to say "it won't work in america" or "thier will be death panels" or "but then people will just get crappy care, just like at the bmv".

if the rest of the world can make it work, then we can too, end of story.

That's exactly what bothers me. Republicans are saying that socializing the healthcare system would mean to become socialists, and their saying that it doesn't work. It doesn't mean every other industrialized nation is a socialist country. Canadians are not socialists,

Americans need to start doing as the French do... protest and everybody take one day to refuse to go to work and stop the economy momentarily. :3 I've personally always wanted to do that.

[marvel_phoenix]

Americans need to start doing as the French do... protest and everybody take one day to refuse to go to work and stop the economy momentarily. :3 I've personally always wanted to do that.

My hubby and I can't do that. we work in Healthcare and could be charged with abandonment.

Maybe those people protesting Wall Street should add that to their list?

[Token Black Guy]

Maybe those people protesting Wall Street should add that to their list?

They really should go ahead and do that in my opinion.

[SuXrys]

That's exactly what bothers me. Republicans are saying that socializing the healthcare system would mean to become socialists, and their saying that it doesn't work. It doesn't mean every other industrialized nation is a socialist country. Canadians are not socialists,

Oh no, you are wrong on that my dear. You don't become a socialist, you become a communist! xD

 

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