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."
In Michael Moore's movie "Sicko," a widow named Julie Pierce tells a tearful story: Her husband died of kidney cancer after their health-insurance company denied payment for a bone-marrow transplant that might have saved his life.
Ms. Pierce's rage is palpable as she repeats the word her insurers used in response to her husband's request. "They denied it," she sneers. "Said it was 'experimental.'"
Viewers of the documentary are meant to understand that "experimental" is health-insurance code for "expensive," and that Ms. Pierce's husband was left to die for the sake of profit. ...
Open Letter to ABC's John Stossel ... from Julie Pierce, American SiCKO
Dear John,
My name is Julie Pierce. My husband was Tracy Pierce. I am featured in Michael Moore's documentary 'SiCKO.' In the movie, I share my deceased husband's story — his unsuccessful battle with our insurance company to receive what could have been life-saving treatments for kidney cancer.
I just read your Wall Street Journal article written on Sept. 13, 2007, titled "Sick Sob Stories." You begin by talking about Tracy's role in 'SiCKO,' and claim the bone marrow transplant denied by our insurer would not have saved him. You also accuse me of "sneering" over our situation.
In your 'reporting' of this story, you did not contact me, and you did not contact my husband's doctors. I cannot believe that a publication like the Wall Street Journal would print such an accusation without talking to anyone involved — especially in such a personal matter, which resulted in the death of my 37-year-old husband and the father of my child.
If you had contacted me, I would have told you that bone marrow transplants became a last option, only after our insurer denied many other treatments again and again and again.
I would have shown you a letter from our doctors at the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the University of Kansas …
"ATLANTA, Aug. 30 — In a stark departure from past practice, the American Cancer Society plans to devote its entire $15 million advertising budget this year not to smoking cessation or colorectal screening but to the consequences of inadequate health coverage.
The campaign was born of the group’s frustration that cancer rates are not dropping as rapidly as hoped, and of recent research linking a lack of insurance to delays in detecting malignancies."
"...the leaders of several such organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the Alzheimers Association, said they applauded the campaign’s message that progress against chronic disease would be halting until the country fixed its health care system."
“I believe, if we don’t fix the health care system, that lack of access will be a bigger cancer killer than tobacco,” Mr. Seffrin said in an interview. “The ultimate control of cancer is as much a public policy issue as it is a medical and scientific issue.”
"Last week, the American Medical Association kicked off a three-year campaign called “Voice for the Uninsured” that will begin with $5 million in advertising in early primary states. AARP, in conjunction with the Business Roundtable and the Service Employees International Union, recently began a similar effort called 'Divided We Fail.'"
So, it's not just MM and the SEIU that see a need for change. It's also the American Cancer Society, the AMA, the AHA, the ADA, the Alzheimer's Association, and AARP. Every one of these patient advocate groups are in agreement that there is an increasing problem with access to medical care in their patient populations.
All of the above organizations have very powerful lobbying arms. I think we will see a change in our current system within the next several years, hopefully increasing access for all of our patients.
I just want the kind of coverage that our elected officials get. .....Full and Free Coverage. No co-pay, no buy in, no cut-off, no limit. If it works for them, it works for the rest of us. They choose the doc, the hospital, the tests and the services. Equal healthcare for all, I say.
I just want the kind of coverage that our elected officials get. .....Full and Free Coverage. No co-pay, no buy in, no cut-off, no limit. If it works for them, it works for the rest of us. They choose the doc, the hospital, the tests and the services. Equal healthcare for all, I say.
I think there is a moral imperative for our society to assure affordable access to health care for all people.
I just want the kind of coverage that our elected officials get. .....Full and Free Coverage. No co-pay, no buy in, no cut-off, no limit. If it works for them, it works for the rest of us. They choose the doc, the hospital, the tests and the services. Equal healthcare for all, I say.
Like David Edwards said. If The politicians do not get it together and get a UHC, then as president he would cancel all politicians free health care untill they do what needs to be done.
Like David Edwards said. If The politicians do not get it together and get a UHC, then as president he would cancel all politicians free health care untill they do what needs to be done.
Hi everyone. I'm an Aussie RN, and last week I saw the movie Sicko. I was just wondering if the health system in America is really as bad as the movie makes out?? Just wondering as well, as nurses, what do you think about universal healthcare? I am hoping to come and work in the US, in 2009, so thats also why I'm curious!
Dear Australian R.N.:
It's even worse than Michael Moore portrayed it! Aside from the financial aspects, I almost had a knee replacement, until I realized that the orthopedic surgeon scheduling it, had not ordered an MRI, and the primary regular X-ray had been lost by his staff, so he'd seen no radiological exam of my knee!
As a senior on Medicare, most supplemental plans available to me (at considerable expense) are HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) that dictate the physicians I could see, hospitals to which I could have access, and medications they will pay for (after a stiff co-pay). None of the medications I'm on, are on their list. I elected not to get that insurance, and will be liable for 20% of ruinous physician and hospital bills.
The number of younger people having health insurance through their employers, are fired when they become ill and miss more work than is allowed. That means they go bankrupt quickly, as a day in hospital is well over $20,000. before any IVs, surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures, etc. are done. I was in an "out patient oncological treatment centre", receiving a blood transfusion for a few hours, and the bill was well over $2,000. without lab costs. Administration of weekly Iron IVs (which I later found out are not "state of the art" treatment for anemia). cost that amount, too.
Keep your Australian health care. In Canada (where I grew up, you can be out of the country for 6 months without losing their healthcare benefits, and upon moving back, after 40+ years in the USA, I am entitled to get the care there after being there 3 months. It's better care, as doctors haven't gone into medicine with their biggest goal to make money (lots of it). Canada is a much nicer place to live, especially on the west coast, but the pay isn't as high as it is in California.
My advise is that you get your "green card" to work in the USA BEFORE LEAVING Australia, and plan to be here for 6 months, then see if you want more.
Am sorry but I do not agree with the post to the Aussie RN!
MM is a sensationalist who shows the WORST of everything and none of the good in order to get everyone worked up - - - but where are his solutions?
ALL countries have issues covering ALL people. Socialized medicine is PAID for just like insurance in the US is paid, except everyone is FORCED to pay for everyone else's healthcare and there are quotas, waiting lines, cuts off criteria (esp for kidney, lung, heart transplants, etc).
The government in socialized med countries decides if YOU or I or YOUR KID gets the medical attention or NOT. There are criteria such as AGE and CONDITION and AVAILABILITY (for example: kidney dialysis. You are 52? NOPE, too old. OR NOPE you are number 1,234, after all the YOUNGSTERS who need it before you, because you are not as YOUNG as we need our patients to be).
The United States has one of the BEST medical systems in the world, if not THE best. How many Americans do you see going ELSEWHERE for healthcare and how many people who are NOT Americans coming to AMERICA for healthcare?
Poor people get healthcare in the United States, Aussie. Children get healthcare, old people get healthcare.
Aussies, some Americans don't realize that healthcare is going to cost them, just like it costs them now. Either through TAXATION or through medical insurance premiums.
We have Medicare for those over 62. We have Medicaide for those who are poor. We have insurance people must pay for to get. It is just that some Americans decide to buy things OTHER than health insurance - such as cigarettes at $3.00 a pack, new cars, new houses, have six kids (when they cannot feed and clothe them all).
There is NO FREE healthcare in ANY nation in the world. Universal healthcare does not mean FREE healthcare. It just means everyone who has ambition and drive and a good income gets taxed MORE to pay for healthcare of those who do not make good choices in life.
And as far as the woman who had the husband who was DENIED a certain cancer therapy, the insurance company didn't kill him, the CANCER did. There are lots of chemo out there that is simply a delaying of the inevitable. Further more when one chooses a healthcare plan one should KNOW what they are buying. Not all insurance plans are alike.
Aussie: We have OUTSTANDING healthcare in this country. We do not have UNIVERSAL free coverage because we have coverage we pay for directly out of our pockets and not directly to the government to babysit for us.
We cover the old, we cover the disabled, and we cover the young.
We even cover babies who have been in an incubator for 75 days because their drug addicted MOM and DAD don't work but do cocaine and cause them to come too early. But they are covered by Medicaid - the WHOLE $475,000. bill.
And WHO pays for it? AMERICAN taxpayers who work each and every day.
Some of us just don't believe we should subsidize the insurance of able bodied Americans who can work and get their OWN healthcare insurance; and if they want BETTER coverage for to no avail treatments then they can go out and get another job and pay for it.
There is no FREE healthcare in the ENTIRE world.
And by the way, perhaps the US should QUIT funding medical and food supplies to poor countries - I think not?
Americans also subsidize illegal aliens' healthcare at ANY public healthclinic and at many private hospitals.
An illegal Mexican woman crosses the border pregnant. She has her baby in a San Diego hospital and AMERICAN taxpayers pay for it....and then any remaining bill is dumped back on Americans via the tax system.
WHY are so many foreigners coming to America for healthcare?
Because it is the best in the world. It is pretty much FREE for anyone who is disabled, old, poor, very young. They don't get the GOLDEN Plan but they get adequate healthcare coverage.
I wish I had FREE healthcare - but I own a house, a car, and have a job. So mine is not free and I do NOT mind, because if I PAY for it, I get to CHOOSE who, how, when and where I get my healthcare. You get what you pay for in America.
NEXT we will be hearing: Well, I want a four bedroom house! Everyone has a RIGHT to a four bedroom house.....:angryfire
:angryfire
pickledpepperRN
4,491 Posts
Sick Sob Stories
BY JOHN STOSSEL
In Michael Moore's movie "Sicko," a widow named Julie Pierce tells a tearful story: Her husband died of kidney cancer after their health-insurance company denied payment for a bone-marrow transplant that might have saved his life.
Ms. Pierce's rage is palpable as she repeats the word her insurers used in response to her husband's request. "They denied it," she sneers. "Said it was 'experimental.'"
Viewers of the documentary are meant to understand that "experimental" is health-insurance code for "expensive," and that Ms. Pierce's husband was left to die for the sake of profit. ...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118964470258225901.html