"Sicko" and US American Healthcare

Cringed. Winced. Laughed in a wry, and 'wow this is ironic and moronic' way. No I wasn't getting a bikini wax. I was reacting to Michael Moore's 2007 film"Sicko" which documents and discusses the healthcare system in the USA. On one hand, I have no words other than to stammer "What? Why? How is this system even possible in one of the world's wealthiest democracies?" But I blog in an effort to become more articulate. And the USA healthcare system is in need of some articulate opponents to define the problems and create effective solutions. ASAP.

Moore's film casts an obviously biased glimpse of other countries health care systems (i.e. that of France, England and even Cuba). There are numerous controversies regarding the accuracy in his depiction of real life in these countries. But leaving those aside, Moore makes some great points about healthcare and humane treatment in general.

Essentially, Sicko illuminates that our healthcare system has compromised ethics in favor of capitalistic greed and operates on a weakened sense of community. In the ideal world, healthcare workers, specifically doctors and nurses, are the knowledgeable trusted members of a community charged with a responsibility to tend to the well being of their fellow man. Pharmacists, chemists and research scientists are the leading warriors in the fight against disease. Plain and simple: Sickness is the enemy and healthcare professionals and researchers are the superheroes. Health insurance companies do not exist in this ideal world. Our profit-based, 'let's marginalize the fringes of our society' attitude has allowed health insurance companies to destroy the ideals. Now we have premiums, co-pays, and deductibles wedging in between those in need of help and the helpers. Securing the financial success of BigPharm and insurance monoliths has shadowed the mission of securing the healthful success of human beings.

When physicians who take the Hippocratic Oath are forced (or worse, choose to) deny patients access to necessary healthcare it puts into question the integrity of the entire US medical profession. :::: At $60,000/yr, Dr. X does the best he can for Mrs. Y with cancer. "Oh, but she has a 'pre-existing health condition'! She doesn't qualify to receive insurance benefits. Dr. X, if you treat her, our big corporate firm will lose money doing its job. So, screw her over and we'll make sure you're well paid". "Mrs. Y, you need chemo and some drugs. But since you can't afford to pay me via insurance, peace out homegirl. Good luck dealing on your own". Dr. X now makes $200,000/yr. and gets a pat on the back from the insurance company. Any questions class? :::::

Our country was founded on the tenets "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" but what we've created since 1776 seems more like "Life insurance, liberty (with a relaxing 70hr work week!), and pursuit of ways to avoid inevitable debt". Godzilla doesn't seem half as daunting as facing looming piles of healthcare paperwork and long lines in waiting rooms. What has happened?

Moore notes that a solid indicator to gauge the progress and worth of a society is to look at how it treats its poorest and least fortunate citizens. A country can only be as fast as its slowest member and as strong as its weakest member. Well, we sure are doing our darn best to hinder the progress of the slowest and weakest. By bankrupting those who can afford to pay insurance and by completely sidestepping those who can't afford insurance our nation is saying "We are a hedonistic gluttonous mass. Money means more than human life. So die, because Uncle Sam, BigPharm, and insurance conglomerates wanna party and guffaw as we strip USA citizens of access to a better life."

Is socialized healthcare a plausible system for the USA? How can we make sure that health becomes a priority of our government? Our constitution promised us national defense. Right now it seems that cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and ignorance are what we need protection from.
What is the first step we can take to get better access to health care in this country? How can we guarantee no man, woman or child is left behind when their mental/physical/spiritual health is at stake?

Watch Sicko. Question it. Let it make you think and research what is fact and what is fiction. Write about it. Talk about it. Get the conversation started and let's see what happens.