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

Specializes in OB, ER, ICU, Supervision, SANE.

Just another example of why freedom needs to be teamed with responsibility. Does his film offer any suggestions to "fix" things? Or is it just a cheap shot and then he walks away with the $$ he makes off it. Sad

Single Payer!

I have not seen the film so don't have any facts on which to base an opinion.

Perhaps the film does have facts.

Single Payer!

HM2Viking

This is a film. Of course it doesn't cover everything. In the 3rd quarter of the 20th century I took speech. Did you? Or English?

Remember the "Persuasive speech" assignment?

Or a similar assignment to write a paper?

This review was written by a woman who did see the film:

Specializes in Cardiac Surg, IR, Peds ICU, Emergency.
This is a film. Of course it doesn't cover everything. In the 3rd quarter of the 20th century I took speech. Did you? Or English?

Remember the "Persuasive speech" assignment?

Or a similar assignment to write a paper?

This review was written by a woman who did see the film:

Such a "speech" or "paper" doesn't have to cover everything, but it cannot be intellectually dishonest or misleading in it's attempts to persuade, such as Moore's films are.

The review was written subjectively by a woman with a specific political agenda. Her position is clear, and she probably wouldn't even deny that her review is biased. What I find disingenius is that she cited an example of an experimental treatment that was not covered by a private insurer, and then championed socialized models, which pay FAR less frequently for experimental treatments.

Such a "speech" or "paper" doesn't have to cover everything, but it cannot be intellectually dishonest or misleading in it's attempts to persuade, such as Moore's films are.

The review was written subjectively by a woman with a specific political agenda. Her position is clear, and she probably wouldn't even deny that her review is biased. What I find disingenius is that she cited an example of an experimental treatment that was not covered by a private insurer, and then championed socialized models, which pay FAR less frequently for experimental treatments.

I haven't seen the film so it is impossible for me to have an opinion.

MY opinion on healthcare comes both from personal experience and published statistics.

This is for anyone reading this thread. Do you have a plan to improve our healthcare?

Single Payer! Medicare for all

Specializes in Cardiac Surg, IR, Peds ICU, Emergency.

Solution;

Individual responsibility.

Foresight. Planning. Accept the fact that people with more money simply have greater means to take care of themselves, and there is nothing wrong with that. Celebrities and the wealthy have the means to pay for full-time personal trainers who guide them through their diets and routines. They can afford spas and massages that reduce stress and promote health. They can afford high-end medical services, and uncovered items such as annual full-body CT scans, and concierge medical care.

I cannot.

I don't, however, demand that they pay for me to have equal services. Instead, I use the system as it was designed for me, living within my means, setting aside money for emergencies, purchasing disability insurance, and taking care of myself by eating affordable healthy food and getting exercise.

I realize that some will say it's about basic services, but until this is defined, there is no 'solution.' Tragedy is sometimes unavoidable. As well insured as I am, and in spite of the resources I have to take care of myself in the event of a tragedy, there is no doubt something that could devastate me, but I don't live in fear of that, nor do I expect someone else to compromise themselves to remove that risk from me.

Instead of counting on the gov't for the solution, people need to take care of themselves. That is why some countries appear to have better healthcare systems; the gov't has taken the role of caregiver, and they ultimately suck at it, and people have resorted to taking care of themselves, even while paying out the nose for substandard services.

We have no system designed for us working people. Medicare is for the elderly and disabled. The VA is for our veterans. I am glad they have it and think it must never again be privatized.

Our community and faith based hospitals are almost all purchased by chains.

I was taught in church as a very small child that we are our brothers keeper. We must feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and heal the sick if we can.

Do unto others. So I am very happy to pay taxes and donate money, blood, and time to improve the lives of my fellow humans.

Specializes in Cardiac Surg, IR, Peds ICU, Emergency.
We have no system designed for us working people. Medicare is for the elderly and disabled. The VA is for our veterans. I am glad they have it and think it must never again be privatized.

Our community and faith based hospitals are almost all purchased by chains.

I was taught in church as a very small child that we are our brothers keeper. We must feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and heal the sick if we can.

Do unto others. So I am very happy to pay taxes and donate money, blood, and time to improve the lives of my fellow humans.

I agree. We should feed, cloth, and heal them.

We do not, however, need to pay for finger reattachment, abortions, or other items for the care of able-bodied citizens who simply refuse to spend money on insurance (and there are millions who take the chance in order to spend money elsewhere). Especially when there are millions of us who make the sacrifice to ensure our own coverage.

I agree. We should feed, cloth, and heal them.

We do not, however, need to pay for finger reattachment, abortions, or other items for the care of able-bodied citizens who simply refuse to spend money on insurance (and there are millions who take the chance in order to spend money elsewhere). Especially when there are millions of us who make the sacrifice to ensure our own coverage.

Yes. With single payer the young formerly healthy accident victims in my ICU would have been paying into the single payer insurance plan.

Many were driving an expensive car, hold season tickets, go on worldwide ski trips, and live in a high rent part of the city.

Yet when they are injured we taxpayers end up paying the often very large bill.

With single payer they will all be paying their share. Those who are never injured or suffer a catastrophic illness will pay too.

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