Controversial Michael Moore Flick 'Sicko' Will Compare U.S. Health Care with Cuba's

Nurses Activism

Published

Health care advances in Cuba

According to the Associated Press as cited in the Post article, "Cuba has made recent advancements in biotechnology and exports its treatments to 40 countries around the world, raking in an estimated $100 million a year. ... In 2004, the U.S. government granted an exception to its economic embargo against Cuba and allowed a California drug company to test three cancer vaccines developed in Havana."

http://alternet.org/envirohealth/50911/?page=1

Michael Moore is a self promoting douchebag who uses the suffering of others to pay for his million dollar apartment and his vaction homes. Do not believe for a minute that he gives a damn about anyone but himself.

Having said that, yes our health system is screwed up. No doubt about that, but to believe in universal healthcare provided by the government is naive. Just look at the current state of medicare and medicaid, do you really think our government can provide effective healthcare?

Canada has universal healthcare, yet Canadians DO come across the borders to get care here rather than wait for months to get it there. Cuba?? Friggin Cuba?? You have got to be kidding me, they probably used up all their medical supplies to take care of these patients for the cameras. If you think Cuba is great I suggest you study your history or better yet talk to an ex-pat in Miami. Their system is so great people risk there lives to leave and come here, 50 to a boat that supposed to hold 10.

Instead of the U.S. government taking over healthcare and wasting away trillions I have an idea. Why not have the U.S. government pay the PREMIUMS to private healthcare companies for people who cannot afford health insurance. This would make the insurance companies happy and fat and get people healthcare. Even if the premiums were a $2000 a month that is still only one ER visit.

Simple idea so of course they will never even think about that.

Now please continue with the praises of Michael Moore; go see his movie; he needs another vacation home, maybe Aspen this time.

Peace,

Tripps

If Michael Moore is a "self promoting douchebag" what does that make an international law violating, war mongering, alcoholic liar? Oh, I guess that would be G. W. Bush, your president.

One cannot compare the U.S. to Cuba, the U. S. is an industrialized nation and cuba is an agriculturally based developing nation. If one compares Cuba's health care system with other agriculturally based developing nations, you will findout that Cuba does more for its people. If one compares the US system with the Scandinavian nations, you will findout that they do more for their citizens.

"The government of the United States of America is the greatest proveyor of violence in the world today"

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Ah yes . . . . I read that on the biggest enemy's website. There is more to the story than that.

http://www.moorewatch.com/index.php/weblog/C23/

steph

Thanks for posting that link, Steph. That site is very entertaining.

If Michael Moore is a "self promoting douchebag" what does that make an international law violating, war mongering, alcoholic liar? Oh, I guess that would be G. W. Bush, your president.

One cannot compare the U.S. to Cuba, the U. S. is an industrialized nation and cuba is an agriculturally based developing nation. If one compares Cuba's health care system with other agriculturally based developing nations, you will findout that Cuba does more for its people. If one compares the US system with the Scandinavian nations, you will findout that they do more for their citizens.

"The government of the United States of America is the greatest proveyor of violence in the world today"

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Don't try to confound people with logic, LOL. ;)

Specializes in critical care transport.
If Michael Moore is a "self promoting douchebag" what does that make an international law violating, war mongering, alcoholic liar? Oh, I guess that would be G. W. Bush, your president.

One cannot compare the U.S. to Cuba, the U. S. is an industrialized nation and cuba is an agriculturally based developing nation. If one compares Cuba's health care system with other agriculturally based developing nations, you will findout that Cuba does more for its people. If one compares the US system with the Scandinavian nations, you will findout that they do more for their citizens.

"The government of the United States of America is the greatest proveyor of violence in the world today"

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Not all of us who loath Michael Moore automatically love President Bush.

Some of us believe in equal opportunity. ;)

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
However, if it's your Aung Ginny who develops a rare form of malignant breast cancer, you may thank your lucky stars that you live in America where Glaxo Kline Smith is.

Pssssst.......Glaxo Smith-Kline is all over the world.

What Moore also fails to mention is that a lot of these people are eligible for federal benefits which they never apply for. He also fails to mention that it is illegal for an emergency room to turn away a patient in need of care.

I find it hard to believe that you work in a hospital and really believe that there are many, if any people out there who are eligible for benefits that do not apply for them. I see desperate, sick people every day- every day- in pain and who need various medications and procedures that they do not receive because they do not have the money, they do not have insurance and they do not qualify for benefits. Period. Many of the posters mention long waits for procedures. Well for a lot of people, if the choice is between long waits and never, which do you think they would choose?

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

"The government of the United States of America is the greatest proveyor of violence in the world today"

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Can you please explain the significance of this quote to the topic at hand? I assume that it must be roughly 40 years old, and can't relate it to Michael Moore's commentary on our current healthcare system.

I have not seen the movie, but would be interested in doing so. I have only recently qualified for heath benefits throuhg my job- after being uninsure for 8years. And that is 8 years where I was employed by a hospital. That's just not right.

Specializes in ICU, med/surg.
Talk to Canadian nurses working here about how their healthcare system is not what it's cracked up to be..

I am Canadian...you are wrong.

Our healthcare system is miles above and beyond the American system. Watching "Sicko" drove this point home.

Can you please explain the significance of this quote to the topic at hand? I assume that it must be roughly 40 years old, and can't relate it to Michael Moore's commentary on our current healthcare system.

The significance of the quote from Dr King is that the US government is spending TRILLIONS of dollars promoting violence in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places throughout the world. Just a fraction of that money could go a long way to help solving the health crisis we currently face. Oh, and yeah, the quote is from about 40 yrs ago, but just like in 1967, the US is currently bogged down in an unpopular military quagmire thousands of miles from its shores.

THANK YOU JOHNWAYNEHAIR AND SILAS2642 !!

:angryfire I was so mad when I got this card in the mail from a nursing association. I went to the link given on the post card where it stated, "for more information" to see what it had to say. There was a small video screen on the web site where one could view a few clips of the movie. I watched it and what I saw showed elements of truth. And yes, something does need to be done in this country's medical care system, however I sense that this movie will usher in an out cry of a guaranteed universal health care social system and be greatly supported by nurses who do not really realize the negative implications of it! AND DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT OUR POLITICIANS UNDER A SOCIALIZED UNIVERSAL HEALTH PLAN WOULD SIT IN LINE AND WAIT THEIR TURN?????????????? H__LL NO ! They would bribe their way out of it somehow for themselves and their families or pass bill to exempt them. And after Michael Moore makes a killing off this movie, I would not put it past him to pay people who don't have a real job to begin with, to go sit in Washington to lobby for it. I see it coming folks and if you think it is bad now, you are in for a rude awakening when it does.:uhoh21:

THANK YOU JOHNWAYNEHAIR AND SILAS2642 !!

:angryfire I was so mad when I got this card in the mail from a nursing association. I went to the link given on the post card where it stated, "for more information" to see what it had to say. There was a small video screen on the web site where one could view a few clips of the movie. I watched it and what I saw showed elements of truth. And yes, something does need to be done in this country's medical care system, however I sense that this movie will usher in an out cry of a guaranteed universal health care social system and be greatly supported by nurses who do not really realize the negative implications of it! AND DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT OUR POLITICIANS UNDER A SOCIALIZED UNIVERSAL HEALTH PLAN WOULD SIT IN LINE AND WAIT THEIR TURN?????????????? H__LL NO ! They would bribe their way out of it somehow for themselves and their families or pass bill to exempt them. And after Michael Moore makes a killing off this movie, I would not put it past him to pay people who don't have a real job to begin with, to go sit in Washington to lobby for it. I see it coming folks and if you think it is bad now, you are in for a rude awakening when it does.:uhoh21:

The main purpose of a socialized universal health plan would not be to make sure that politicians "sit in line and wait their turn". NO system would ensure that politicians be treated like everyone else. I think the main objective of a socialized universal health plan would to make sure that the vast majority of citizens have some type of health care plan that meets their needs and that they can afford. No system is perfect. If making sure that the elite of the country get treated like everyone else is your barometer that you use to judge a health care plan, then I would suggest you use a different barometer, because NO system will ensure that the elite will be treated like everyone else.

If Michael Moore is a "self promoting douchebag" what does that make an international law violating, war mongering, alcoholic liar? Oh, I guess that would be G. W. Bush, your president.

One cannot compare the U.S. to Cuba, the U. S. is an industrialized nation and cuba is an agriculturally based developing nation. If one compares Cuba's health care system with other agriculturally based developing nations, you will findout that Cuba does more for its people. If one compares the US system with the Scandinavian nations, you will findout that they do more for their citizens.

"The government of the United States of America is the greatest proveyor of violence in the world today"

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Ok, where to start?

G.W. is my president, just like the womanizing, lying, impeached, bloated, gas bag was my president, or the stuttering no new taxes guy, the jelly bean Iran Contra guy, peanut boy, the I am not a crook guy and even I pick my nose in public LBJ.

If your faith in the country is decided by who is president then I suggest you move to a dictatorship like, umm... I don't know CUBA maybe. They have great healthcare!

This country has been around for 231 years, we've had good and bad presidents yet we're still here. So step away from the kool aid, the end of the world is not nigh.

I have compared the U.S. health care with other countries. One of the major differences between us and them is what medical professionals are payed. U.S. Doctors & Nurses are making mint, what other job can you get a two year degree and walk out of school making $30/hr? Not many. Are you willing to drop your salary to CNA wages to help others get healthcare?? Another issue is the cost of medications in the U.S. and the excessive costs of emerging technology. It cost my mothers insurance $3500 a dose for her chemo!! Doesn't that seems a little excessive??

The problems with the U.S. system far outweighs anything a single president has done. Drop the George Soros talking points and look at the real problems.

Peace,

Tripps

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