Michael Moore Presents Sicko

Filmmaker Michael Moore, known for his controversial documentaries on the American automobile industry, on gun violence, and on the Bush administration, now takes a stab at the U.S. health-care system in his new film "Sicko."

Blue Cross, Humana, Aetna. These are just a handful of the American health insurance companies that Michael Moore accuses of operating on greed and trampling on the needs of the American public.

Many film critics describe "Sicko" as a wickedly funny satire on the inadequacies of the American health care system.

Moore contends that the American health-care system not only excludes the 50 million uninsured but also consistently fails the 250 million insured Americans.

"This is not only a broken system, this is a sick system," says Moore.

Michael Moore advocates for a national health-care system. To prove that such a system would work, he goes to England, to France and to Cuba where there is universal health coverage.

Once again, Moore creates a documentary that stirs controversy. Many applaud it as a nod to what they see as long-overdue universal health coverage. Others feel that the film's information is slanted. They argue that the European and Cuban healthcare systems are sluggish and outdated and that Moore portrays them through rose-tinted glasses.

At the movie premiere in Washington D.C., Michael Moore had the last word. "The French and the British have a very good system," says Moore. "There are problems with them but they need to fund it properly and they need to take care of the problems. But it's certainly a hell of a lot better than here. And you'll never find a Frenchman [who has] been willing to give up his national health care card for one of our HMO cards. That's for sure."

Parts of the documentary are classic Moore showboating, such as taking a group of underinsured 9/11 rescue workers to Cuba for medical treatment.

But "Sicko" is entertaining, thought provoking and is already a box office hit. It recently debuted in New York City to sold-out crowds.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Michael
• Moore
• Sicko
• Health-Care
• Health
• HMO
• PPO
• Hospital

[MrBurritoSupreme]

@ghall88 That is absolutely not true. 17 weeks my ass? But I'd still take a wait over being denied coverage that my insurance company simply doesn't want to cover and in turn going broke and losing my house because of incredible out of pocket expenses. Do you know how many people go broke and lose everything they have in this country every single year because the way our system is designed. That never happens in these other countries with universal care.

[baracine]

The average wait for what? To hear an American actually say something that is not not (a) stupid? or (b)dictated by Fox News?

[TheUberMuffin]

who are u hanging out with? i live near DC, one of the most diverse places in the world(my high school is 33% asian and its a public high school). How do Americans have no idea what life is about? what do you mean "what life is about" that could mean a lot of things ie religion, values, perception of reality, and whatever it is it's stereotypical.

[rgcacau]

That's because you only hang out wiht your fellows. Americans have absolutely no ideia what life is about.

[TheUberMuffin]

haha that's funny, Americans are poorly educated? I've been to Europe(germany, france, italy, Switzerland, not UK) and it didn't change my opinion at all, it only strengthened what I already knew, americuh iz da best

[ghall88]

If Canadian health care is so great, why is the average wait 17 weeks, Your great government pays our American doctors to send you to the United States to perform surgery to avoid being sued. Just because its good for a few, Canada has way more problems than positives

[DaniDivine2000]

bad speling, pour gramer, and even bad language on rare occasion can be used very strategically to make a point at times too...

[juxblaze]

Somebody is paying. What are the average salaries of nurses and doctors in Canada?

[Pinnertop]

Whenever I see bad language, poor spelling and dreadful grammar, I am usually correct in discovering that individual posting the comment is a very poorly educated, untravelled American.

[wgaleano]

yeah before you go making stupid remarks, i live in canada, the most i wait is maybe an hour, and hey it was free, and hey im still alive today