Sicko

This documentary by Michael Moore resonated with me. It is a rare documentary in that not only does it make you aware of a major problem in our society today, but it does so in an entertaining manner.

Michael Moore is at his best as the champion of the working man. Over 45 million Americans are without health insurance in our society today, and he seeks to find out why.

Some of the stories in this film will break your heart, like the child who can’t get life-saving treatment because his parents are what are considered by the health care industry as “self-pay” – in other words, they have no insurance and the hospital/medical providers know that they will never see a dime of the money they spend on his care. So shortcuts are taken and compromises are made. You know the kid will get what he needs, but little more. And, what he does get will not necessarily be the best treatment that the doctor would have recommended for the specifics of his condition.

Moore shows us the many families who have been forced into bankruptcy because of medical bills, sometimes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, that – short of winning a major lottery prize – they’re never gonna be able to pay.

This documentary is done in typical Moore style, and it will open your eyes to what can very well happen if you lose your job and are not able to pay for private medical insurance.

Everyone should see this film. It will make you realize that other countries with universal health care take care of their citizens far better than the U.S. does. While universal health care certainly has its problems, it’s a lot better than what the United States has today.