“Sicko” — a review — Save your money!

Dr. Sanjay Gupta summed up much of what I thought of "Sicko" in his blog, where he said,

"...I also worry that Michael, who is an accomplished film maker, tried to leave people with the impression that health care is free in many other nations and there is a state of utopia. True, Michael did talk about increased taxes in his film, but he also kept calling it "free," which made it nebulous. No question, there are many valuable things to learn from other health care systems, but we should know all things before wholeheartedly endorsing one system over another. We should know that taxes will be much higher, as is the case in France where they are crippled by their health care system. We should also know that a significant number of people in these countries still buy supplemental insurance, apparently unhappy with what the government alone can provide. We should also remember that Medicare, an example of a limited national health care plan in the United States, is expected to go bankrupt by the year 2020..."

Bottom line
With the interviews he had, Moore could have made a powerful film about the problems in the U.S. healthcare system. We know there are problems. Everyone acknowledges that the system is "broken." As it is, "Sicko" is propaganda, pure and simple. Moore thinks he knows what we need-to throw away our system and adopt a system similar to those he sees in other countries, systems he calls "free." He ignores the consequences of entirely throwing out our current system, implications that would include huge increases in taxes to cover a so-called "free" healthcare system. His misuse of excellent interview topics and subjects results in a movie not worth seeing.

If you want to know what's wrong with the American healthcare system, you don't need to see "Sicko." Just talk to patients, doctors, and yes, the companies that produce pharmaceuticals and offer healthcare insurance. Then, if you think that "free" universal healthcare is the answer, talk to some of our readers and forum members who live in countries with universal, "free" healthcare. Talk to some of our Canadian members who are coming to the U.S. and paying out-of-pocket to see doctors because the doctors in Canada are so limited by their system that they haven't been able to help them. Talk to our member in England who use their life's savings or borrow from family and friends to see doctors outside the English NHS because three years after a stroke, she's still not getting care.

In the end, I'll give "Sicko" two stars out of five. If nothing else, the movie will get people thinking and talking about the problems with our healthcare system. The obvious bias, comparison of statistics that really were not comparable, and Moore's lack of ability to stay on topic rather than wandering off into his political agenda take away from the film more than can be salvaged.